Parents’ work-to-family conflict has been reported to be associated with preschool children’s social behavior problems, but the underlying mechanisms of this association in the Chinese cultural context remain unclear. Based on ecosystem theory and the spillover-crossover model theory of emotion, this study aimed to examine the correlation between parents’ work-to-family conflict and preschool children’s social behavior problems in China, as well as the mediating role of guilt about parenting and parent–child relationships. Structural equation modeling was used to check the research hypotheses with a sample of 3,038 parents of Chinese preschool children. The main findings of this study are as follows: (1) Work-to-family conflict faced by parents was positively associated with guilt about parenting and preschool children’s social behavior problems; (2) The effect of guilt about parenting on preschool children’s social behavior problems was bidirectional; guilt about parenting was positively related to preschool children’s social behavior problems, but when guilt about parenting prompted parents to adjust their parent–child relationships, it was negatively related to preschool children’s social behavior problems. Taken together, these results further explain the interaction between parents’ work-to-family conflict and preschool children’s social behavior problems and discuss the influence of multiple factors on preschool children’s social behavior problems. Theoretically, this study enriches the theoretical basis of the interaction with resources from the external environment of home education and family education. Practically, it implies that multiple levels, such as the government, early childhood education institutions, and work units, should give more support to preschool children’s family education and thus work together to promote the healthy development of preschool children.

Academic discourses regarding teacher motivation have been on-going for decades for those who teach in ethnic minority areas. Yet research findings failed to provide a consistent conclusion regarding if kindergarten teachers’ motivation pattern would vary based on a case-to-case scenario. Therefore, further studies are needed to probe the motivation patterns among this population. The study firstly examined kindergarten teachers’ motivational profiles based on Expectancy Value Theory (EVT), and then examined how teachers’ motivation related to outcome variables (work engagement, workplace wellbeing, and retention intention). Participants included 1,199 kindergarten teachers from ethnic minority areas in China. Latent profile analysis identified three motivation profiles for teachers: low value-high cost (profile 1), moderate all (profile 2), and high value-low cost (profile 3). Teacher with different motivation profiles had significant differences in work engagement, workplace wellbeing, and retention intention. In addition, chain mediation analysis revealed that work engagement and workplace wellbeing mediated the relationship between motivation profiles and retention intention. The implications of the findings for study are discussed.

Kindergarten climate has been reported to be closely associated with teachers' retention intention, yet the underlying mechanism of this association remains unclear in some ethnic minority areas in China. Based on the Personal-Environment Fit Theory and Organizational Support Theory, the research aims to examine the correlation between kindergarten climate and retention intention of Chinese kindergarten teachers in ethnic minority areas and the chain mediating role of perceived organizational support, as well as the psychological empowerment. In total, 1,199 Chinese kindergarten teachers were recruited from ethnic minority areas to complete the questionnaires. Based on their responses, the main findings of the study were listed as follows: (1) A supportive kindergarten climate has a positive correlation with perceived organizational support, psychological empowerment, and retention intention. (2) A positive kindergarten climate would increase the retention intention only through the indirect path of perceived organizational support, psychological empowerment, as well as the chain mediating path between these two variables. Taken together, these results further explained the interplay between kindergarten climate and teachers' retention intention. Implications for research on retention intention were discussed. Theoretically, it enriches the theoretical basis related to the external environmental resources and individual cognition. Practically, it means that educational policymakers will need to issue new guidelines to ensure that more kindergarten teachers are retained in China's ethnic minority areas.