How do pre-school teachers in Turkey make sense of emotional and behavioural disorder risk?

Apaydın G., Karaahmetoğlu B., Aykut Ç.

European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 2025 (SSCI) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Publication Date: 2025
  • Doi Number: 10.1080/1350293x.2025.2487601
  • Journal Name: European Early Childhood Education Research Journal
  • Journal Indexes: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, EBSCO Education Source, Education Abstracts, Educational research abstracts (ERA), ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), DIALNET
  • Keywords: at risk, Emotional and behavioural disorders, pre-school teacher, qualitative research
  • Gazi University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

This study aims to reveal pre-school teachers' experiences with children at risk of emotional and behavioural disorders (EBD) and how they make sense of the phenomenon of EBD risk based on these experiences. In the study, phenomenological design, one of the qualitative research methods, was used. Fifteen pre-school teachers participated in the study. Teachers generally explained the phenomenon of EBD risk with externalised behaviours and had difficulty distinguishing this phenomenon from temporary problem behaviours. Teachers emphasised that various factors related to the family triggered the risk of EBD, that these children needed individual support, and that the cooperation between teachers and family was essential.