The Impact of Young Children’s Persistent Challenging Behavior on Child Care Providers: “It’s Like Floating in a Sea With No Paddle”

Abstract

The purpose of this descriptive study was to highlight the experiences of 11 child care providers whose classrooms included preschoolers who engaged in persistent challenging behavior, thus expanding the limited literature on this topic. This qualitative study included two interviews with each provider. The results center around the effect of challenging behavior on the classroom experiences of providers. Findings indicate that children’s challenging behavior impacts the physical and social environment, as well as relationships among providers, children, families, and program administrators. Implications for research and practice are discussed.