553 KB65 KB199220252025Fekonja, UrškaKavčič, TinaPogorelc-Jesih, NikaZager Kocjan, Gajaštevilka:letn. 34str. 257-268DOI:10.20419/2025.34.612ISSN:2350-5141COBISSID_HOST:264086787URN:URN:NBN:SI:doc-MH1LLMIRslDruštvo psihologov SlovenijePsihološka obzorja (Ljubljana)duševno zdravjekindergartensmental healthpreschool teacherssocial supportsocialna oporausklajenost poklicnega in družinskega življenjavrtcivzgojiteljiwork-life balanceOd socialne opore na delovnem mestu do duševnega zdravja strokovnih delavcev v vrtcu| razkrivanje posredne vloge poseganja dela v zasebno življenje| From workplace social support to the mental health of early childhood educators| the mediating role of work–life interference|The mental health of early childhood education professionals is closely linked to the quality of their work and developmental outcomes in children across various domains. Given the central role of preschools in fostering early learning and development, it is crucial to identify and understand the factors and mechanisms contributing to the mental health of early childhood education professionals. This study aimed to examine the relationship between perceived workplace social support and work-related mental health among preschool educators, as well as the mediating role of perceived work-life interference in this association. The sample included 862 preschool teachers and their assistants, employed in public preschools. Relying on self-report questionnaires, data were collected on their age, work-related characteristics, workplace social support, work-life interference, and indicators of work-related mental health problems (exhaustion and depersonalization) and positive mental health (professional fulfilment). Path analysis revealed that greater workplace social support favourably contributes to mental health at work, both directly and indirectly, by reducing work-life interference. Perceived workplace social support and work-life interference emerged as more significant factors of preschool educators‘ mental health than their age and objective job characteristics (such as the number of children with special needs, and the number of non-native speakers in the group). The findings suggest that fostering supportive relationships among preschool staff can mitigate the adverse effects of job demands on mental well-being of early childhood education professionalsDuševno zdravje strokovnih delavcev v vrtcu je povezano s kakovostjo njihovega dela in izidi pri otrocih na različnih področjih razvoja. Vrtci imajo osrednjo vlogo pri spodbujanju razvoja in učenja malčkov in otrok, zato je pomembno prepoznati in razumeti dejavnike ter mehanizme, ki prispevajo k duševnemu zdravju strokovnih delavcev. Namen raziskave je bil preučiti povezanost med zaznano socialno oporo na delovnem mestu in z delom povezanim duševnim zdravjem strokovnih delavk v vrtcu ter posredno vlogo zaznanega poseganja dela v zasebno življenje v tej povezavi. V vzorec je bilo vključenih 862 vzgojiteljic in njihovih pomočnic, zaposlenih v javnih vrtcih. S pomočjo vprašalnikov smo pridobile podatke o njihovi starosti, značilnostih delovnega mesta, socialni opori pri delu, poseganju dela v zasebno življenje ter znakih težav (izčrpanosti in depersonalizaciji) ter dobrega duševnega zdravja na delovnem mestu (poklicni izpolnitvi). Analiza poti je pokazala, da večja socialna opora na delovnem mestu ugodno prispeva k duševnemu zdravju na delovnem mestu, in sicer neposredno in posredno preko zniževanja poseganja dela v zasebno življenje. Zaznana socialna opora in poseganje dela v zasebno življenje predstavljata pomembnejša dejavnika v duševnem zdravju strokovnih delavk kot njihova starost in objektivne značilnosti delovnega mesta (število otrok s posebnimi potrebami in število tujejezičnih otrok v oddelku). Rezultati nakazujejo, da lahko s podpiranjem opornih odnosov med zaposlenimi v vrtcu zmanjšamo neugodne učinke zahtev delovnega mesta na duševno zdravje strokovnih delavk v vrtcuTEXTznanstveno časopisjejournalsSlovenian National E-content AggregatorNational and University Library of SloveniaDruštvo psihologov Slovenije