Investigation of the relationship between preschool teachers' problem solving behaviors and the strategies they use against undesirable behaviors

This research was carried out with the participation of 135 preschool teachers working in the Adapazarı and Serdivan districts of Sakarya province in order to examine the relationship between problem-solving behaviors of preschool teachers and the strategies they use against undesirable behaviors. The research used the correlational survey model, which is a quantitative research method. The data collection tools used in the research were the General Information Form, Problem Solving Inventory (PSI), and Scale for Identifying the Strategies Employed by Preschool Teachers Against Undesirable Behaviors. In the analysis of the data, independent samples Mann Whitney U, Kruskal Wallis tests and Spearman Brown formula were used. The analysis results indicated that age, experience, training related to classroom management, and the type of school where the teachers worked were not significant variables in preschool teachers' problem-solving behaviors. However, the variable of educational background showed a significant difference in the planned approach subscale of the scale. As for the strategies used by preschool teachers against undesirable behaviors, age, experience, educational background, and the type of school did not show significant effects. However, it was determined that receiving training in classroom management was effective in the subdimensions of reality therapy and behavior modification model, as well as in the overall scale score. When the relationship between the scales was examined, it was determined that there was no significant relationship between the problem-solving behaviors of preschool teachers and the strategies they used against undesirable behaviors.