Emapthy, prosocial behaviour and self-respect of future pre-school educators

Temeljni cilj završnog rada bio je istražiti stupanj razvijenosti empatije, prosocijalnog ponašanja i samopoštovanja budućih odgojiteljica, postoje li razlike u stupnju razvijenosti tih osobina s obzirom na dob i godinu studija te postoji li povezanost između njih. U istraživanju je sudjelovalo 58 studentica predškolskog odgoja. Prva hipoteza da postoji visoka razina empatije, prosocijalnog ponašanja i samopoštovanja nije u potpunosti potvrđena zbog nižih rezultata dobivenih za javno prosocijalno ponašanje i srednjih rezultata na dimenzijama samopoštovanja. Druga hipoteza da će studentice viših godina studija i veće starosne dobi pokazivati veću razvijenost empatije, prosocijalnog ponašanja i samopoštovanja u odnosu na studentice nižih godina studija i mlađe starosne dobi nije u potpunosti potvrđena jer je jedino za maštu, kao dimenziju empatije, dobivena statistički značajna razlika u smjeru veće mašte kod najstarijih studentica. Ostale dimenzije nisu pokazale razlike s obzirom na dob i godinu studija. Treća hipoteza da postoji pozitivna povezanost između empatije, prosocijalnog ponašanja i samopoštovanja potvrđena je jer se između velikog broja dimenzija javlja značajna povezanost, premda niska. Odgojiteljica, kao odgojno – obrazovna djelatnica treba imati visok stupanj razvijenosti svih kompetencija što nimalo nije jednostavno. Stoga je važno da odgojiteljica neprestano radi na svom osobnom i profesionalnom rastu i razvoju jer jedino voljom, trudom i radom moguće je postići promjenu.The core aim of this study was to investigate the level of development of empathy, prosocial behavior and self-respect of future educators; whether there are differences in these characteristics according to the age and year of study and whether there is a correlation between them. The study involved 58 pre-school education students. The first hypothesis stating that there is a high level of empathy, prosocial behavior, and self-respect has not been fully validated because of lower scores obtained for public prosocial behavior and average scores for self-esteem levels. The second hypothesis that students of higher years of study and older age will show a higher level of empathy, prosocial behavior and self-respect compared to students of lower years of study and younger age is neither fully validated because the only statistically significant difference found was for imagination, as a form of empathy, in the oldest students. Other dimensions did not show any differences with respect to age and year of study. The third hypothesis stating that there is an association between empathy, prosocial behavior, and self-respect is confirmed because significant correlations, even though low, occur between a great number of those traits. An educator, as an educational worker, should have a high level of development of all competences, which is not simple at all. Therefore, it is important for the educator to constantly work on their personal and professional growth and development, because only through will, effort and work change can be achieved