The Significance of Preschool Teacher’s Personality in Early Childhood Education: Analysis of Eysenck’s and Big Five Dimensions of Personality

Considering the significance of the preschool teacher’s influence on early childhood, it is relevant to put in the research focus their personality characteristics. Therefore, the main question of this study was to explore personality traits of preschool teachers. A personality analysis was run and discussed within two personality models: Eysenck’s and Big Five personality model. Subjects were preschool teachers (N=92), all females, with the mean age of 30 years, ranged from 21 to 49 years. Personality traits analyses within both personality models showed higher levels of extraversion, agreeableness, consciousness, openness to experience and social conformity than normative sample. Psychoticism level was similar to the one from normative sample, and neuroticism levels (Eysenck’s and Big5) were lower than in normative sample. The results were discussed in the frame of the significance of preschool teacher personality as a role models and (none)desirable personality traits in the context of early and preschool care and education.