HEALTH EDUCATION COMPETENCIES AMONG KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS IN CHINA: EXAMING INFLUENCING FACTORS AND EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this research was to examine the health education competencies of kindergarten teachers, exploring key antecedents and their impact on teaching effectiveness. This study contributes by providing empirical evidence on how structured training programs bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application in early childhood health education.Design: A mixed-methods study utilizing both quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was applied to analyze the relationships between competency dimensions, training, institutional support, and self-efficacy.Setting: The study was conducted with 600 kindergarten teachers and managers from 60 kindergartens in Henan Province, China.Methods: Data were collected through a structured questionnaire adapted from validated scales and semi-structured interviews with 25 participants. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS and AMOS, employing factor analysis and regression models. Qualitative data were coded using NVivo to identify themes.Results: Findings indicated that while teachers demonstrated awareness of health education principles, practical application remained inconsistent. Institutional barriers, limited training opportunities, and varying levels of self-efficacy significantly influenced competency levels. Teachers with structured training reported higher competency scores (4.3 vs. 3.6, p < 0.05), while self-efficacy emerged as a strong predictor of teaching effectiveness (β = 0.71, p < 0.001). Regression analysis revealed that institutional support and training significantly impacted competency outcomes (β = 0.58, p < 0.001).Conclusion：This study contributes to the field by demonstrating how self-efficacy and institutional support interact to shape teacher competencies, an aspect often overlooked in previous research. Findings suggest that targeted training programs and structured institutional support can significantly enhance the implementation of health education in kindergartens. Findings provide actionable recommendations for policymakers, school administrators, and teacher training institutions to improve professional development programs and reduce the knowledge-practice gap in early childhood health education.