The relationship between emotional abuse in preschool period and behavioral problems

Preschool period is a critical period of great importance for the development of children. In the preschool period, besides positive developments, negative situations can also occur in children. These negative situations can cause some behavioral problems in children. Behavioral problems in children are directly or indirectly related to parental attitudes and behaviors. Parents can have a positive and sometimes negative impact on their children's lives. In our country, one out of every two children is exposed to emotional abuse, and child abuse is most frequently perpetrated by close family members, teachers, relatives and people in the immediate environment. The aim of this research is to reveal the relationship between emotional abuse and behavioral problems in children in the preschool period, to reveal the relationship between emotional abuse of mothers towards their children and behavioral problems in children; to determine whether there is a significant difference according to the gender and age of the children, the age of the mothers, the level of education, the level of perceived stress and the level of relationship between the spouses. Descriptive and relational survey model was used in the research. The study group of the research consists of 500 people in total, 250 children aged 3-6 and 250 are mothers of these children. As a data collection tool in collecting the data of the research; Personal Information Form (Mother-Child), Emotional Abuse Potential Scale for Parents with 3-6 Years Old Children and Preschool Behavior Problems Screening Scale were used. The findings of this study revealed that there is a positive and significant relationship between emotional abuse of mothers towards their children and behavioral problems in children. In addition, emotional abuse of mothers to their children differs significantly according to the place where they live and the quality of the mothers' relationships with their own parents, while behavioral problems in children differ significantly according to the age of the mothers, the gender of the children, and the level of stress perceived by the mothers.