A Study on Preschool Teachers’ Willingness and Psychological Readiness to Teach Sexual Education to Young Children within the Framework of Early Childhood Protection Education: An Analysis Based on Structural Equation Modeling

Abstract

Sex education for young children is a key component in ensuring their safety and healthy development. This study investigates the influencing factors and mechanisms underlying preschool teachers’ willingness and behaviors regarding sex education. A model of influencing factors was constructed, incorporating core variables such as performance expectations, effort expectations, community influence, facilitating conditions, teaching willingness, teaching behaviors, and psychological readiness—the latter comprising three sub-dimensions. A questionnaire survey was administered to preschool teachers, yielding a total of 458 valid responses. Structural equation modeling was used to conduct empirical tests on the data, and model fit analysis and path relationship hypothesis testing were performed using AMOS 24 software. The results indicate that the model has good fit, with a root mean square error of 0.027. Path analysis results show that performance expectations, effort expectations, community influence, and innovation all have a significant positive effect on teaching willingness. Insecurity and maladjustment both have a significant negative effect on teaching willingness. Teaching willingness and favorable conditions both significantly and positively influence teaching behavior. Analysis of these pathways reveals that no single factor independently generates high teaching willingness; rather, high teaching willingness is facilitated by the interaction of multiple influencing factors. This study is of great significance for understanding the psychological mechanisms underlying teachers’ acceptance of early childhood sex education, and it also provides a reference for kindergartens in formulating relevant educational policies and teaching plans.