Early Childhood Educators’ Reported Social-Emotional Learning Practices in Portuguese Preschool Education: The Role of Beliefs and Training

Abstract

The early childhood years are a particularly important period for social-emotional learning (SEL), as key social-emotional competencies begin to emerge and consolidate during the first years of life. This cross-sectional study examined Portuguese early childhood educators’ reported SEL practices, beliefs, and training. A total of 182 educators completed self-report questionnaires on classroom practices, beliefs about the importance of social-emotional competencies, perceived needs and difficulties in promoting SEL, and professional background. Descriptive findings showed that educators frequently reported using relational and routine-based practices, such as creating opportunities for peer interaction and positively reinforcing children’s autonomous problem solving. By contrast, more explicit SEL strategies, including role-play, emotion-themed storybooks, and visual materials focused on emotional states, were reported less frequently. Correlational analyses showed that stronger beliefs about the importance of social-emotional competencies and lower perceived needs in promoting SEL were associated with more frequent reported implementation of explicit practices. In the hierarchical regression model, perceived needs remained the strongest predictor after controlling for academic qualifications. Educators with a bachelor’s or licentiate degree reported more frequent use of such practices than those with postgraduate, master’s, or doctoral qualifications, whereas recent in-service training was not significantly associated with reported implementation. Overall, the findings suggest that SEL is unevenly embedded in preschool practice, with stronger emphasis on relational climate than on explicit instructional strategies.