Features of the subjective well-being of educators and the psychological safety of the educational environment in kindergartens

Introduction: The psychological safety of the educational environment is at the forefront of psychological and pedagogical practice and is most significant when it comes to preschool education. Empirical studies of psychological safety and its conditions in kindergartens are extremely rare, thus making this study of relevance. Aims: to identify the features of the subjective well-being of educators depending on the psychological safety of the educational environment in kindergartens. Materials and methods: The study involved 21 kindergartens in the Trans-Baikal Territory and the Irkutsk Region (452 educators). The following psychodiagnostic methods were applied: 1) I. Baeva’s psychological safety of the educational environment; 2) the scale of subjective well-being (A. Perrudet-Badoux et al., adapted by M. Sokolova); 3) E. Diener's satisfaction with life scale. Results: In kindergartens with a highly referenced educational environment, according to educators, educators significantly more often demonstrate a high level of subjective well-being and complete satisfaction with life. In kindergartens with a highly referenced educational environment, according to parents, significantly more educators also have high levels of well-being and demonstrate complete satisfaction with life. In kindergartens where educators are highly satisfied with the educational environment and feel protected, they significantly more often show a high level of subjective well-being and complete satisfaction with life. In kindergartens where parents are highly satisfied with the educational environment and feel protected, there are significantly more educators with a high level of subjective well-being and complete satisfaction with life. Conclusion: Statistically significant differences in subjective well-being and satisfaction with life were found among educators in kindergartens with different levels of psychological safety. This suggests that the subjective well-being of educators can be considered a factor in the psychological safety of the educational environment.