Reaction to stress: Social support and coping strategies of early childhood teachers

People face much higher levels of stress today than in the past (Kao, 2002). The purpose of this study is to understand the stress reaction, social support, and coping strategies of early childhood teachers. This study use questionnaire method. The sample population was 608 early childhood teachers from official educational organizations in Taiwan. The study uses background variables as independent variables, stress reaction and social support as mediator variables, and coping strategies as dependent variables.; Psychological reaction scored highest among the three subscales of stress reaction. Age, education, marital status, number of children and annual family income are all factors that affect total stress reaction. The score of emotional support was the highest among three subscales of social support. Influences on total social support are age and length of service. Among the three subscales of coping strategies, the cognitive strategy score is the highest; and age, marital status, number of children, and annual family income shape total coping strategies.; With respect to research variable correlations, stress reaction and social support show negative correlation, stress reaction and coping strategies show negative correlation, and social support and coping strategies show positive correlation.; With regard to predictive analysis, the main predictive variable of physiological strategy is the instrumental support. The main predictive variable of cognitive strategy is the emotional support. The emotional support is also the key variable that forecasts total coping strategies. The chief variable predicting behavioral strategy is the instrumental support.; Finally, recommendations regarding early childhood teachers, training institutions, governmental agencies, and follow-up research activities are made in accordance with the conclusions drawn from this research.