CORRELATION BETWEEN PRESCHOOL TEACHERS\u27 EMOTIONAL COMPETENCE, IMAGINATION AND EMPATHY AND THEIR ATTITUDES ABOUT GIFTED CHILDREN

Osnovni cilj rada je ispitivanje povezanosti emocionalne kompetencije, mašte i empatije odgojitelja te njihovog stava prema darovitoj djeci. Sudionici su bili svi odgojitelji Dječjeg vrtića "Šegrt Hlapić" te Dječjeg vrtića "Trnsko" u Zagrebu. Dakle, ispitali smo 86 sudionika, primijenivši tri mjerna instrumenta: E-upitnik sa skalama empatije i mašte, Upitnik emocionalne kompetencije UEK15 te upitnik Stavova prema darovitoj djeci. Rezultati su pokazali da svi korišteni instrumenti imaju zadovoljavajuću pouzdanost i konstruktnu valjanost. Eksploratornom analizom glavnih komponenti utvrdili smo jednu glavnu komponentu upitnika Stavovi prema darovitima. Nismo utvrdili statistički značajnu povezanost između varijabli mašta i empatija te grupe varijabli emocionalne kompetencije (percepcija emocija, sposobnost izražavanja emocija, sposobnost upravljanja emocijama), kao ni između varijabli emocionalne kompetencije te stavova prema darovitoj djeci. Međutim, pronašli smo statistički značajnu negativnu povezanost između varijabli mašta i empatija te stavova (predrasuda) prema darovitoj djeci. Relativno mali broj sudionika ograničava nam mogućnost generalizacije, stoga bi u budućim istraživanjima bilo pogodnije koristiti veći i reprezentativniji uzorak, uz osiguravanje još veće anonimnosti sudionika.The main aim of this article is to examine the correlation between the emotional competence, imagination and empathy of preschool teachers as well as their attitudes towards gifted children. The participants were teachers of "Šegrt Hlapić" and "Trnsko" preschools in Zagreb. 86 participants were surveyed and three measure instruments were used: E-questionnaire with empathy and imagination scale, the Questionnaire of emotional competence UEK15 and the Questionnaire on attitudes towards gifted children. The results have shown that all applied instruments have satisfying reliability and constructive validity. The analysis of main components has identified the basic component of the Questionnaire on attitudes towards gifted children. There was no statistically significant correlation between imagination and empathy variables and emotional variables group (perception of emotions, abilities of expressing and controlling emotions). Also, the correlation between emotional competence variables and attitudes (prejudices) towards gifted children has not been found. Due to a relatively small sample it is not possible to draw general conclusions and therefore it is recommended to use a bigger sample and to ensure a higher degree of anonymity in future research