Personality in Preschool Classrooms: How Teacher and Child Personality Types Predict the Quality of Interactions and Relationships
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: While theoretical frameworks like personality and social relationships (PERSOC) posit the interplay between personality and social relationships, the roles of teachers’ and children’s personality in shaping interactions and relationships in preschool remain poorly understood. Since understanding these personality dynamics is essential to enhancing interpersonal classroom processes, this study investigates to what extent teacher and child personality types predict the quality of interactions and relationships in preschool classrooms. Research Findings: The sample comprised 287 children and 85 teachers from 85 preschools in Tyrol, Austria. Personality was measured with a short version of the Five Factor Questionnaire for Children (FFFK-K) and with the Big Five Inventory-SOEP (BFI-S) for teachers. Two-level regression analyses showed that specific teacher–child personality combinations were meaningfully associated with interaction quality (measured with the Individualized Classroom Assessment Scoring System, inCLASS) and teacher–child relationships (measured with the Student–Teacher Relationship Scale, STRS). Dyads involving overcontrolled children showed fewer peer interactions, lower conflict interactions, and less teacher–child closeness, irrespective of teacher personality. Higher teacher–child conflicts were especially apparent when undercontrolled children were paired with undercontrolled or resilient teachers. Practice or Policy: Implications for educational practice including greater awareness of personality-driven interaction and relationship dynamics, and future research are discussed.
Source: Early Education and Development
Institutions: Universität Innsbruck, University of Stavanger
Language: English
Subfield: Education
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7223338065