A Systematic Review of Research Patterns and Trends in Early Childhood Education Teacher Well-Being from 1993 to 2023: A Trajectory Landscape

Abstract

This current systematic review of research represents an attempt to unveil a descriptive picture of the evolving state of the body of knowledge about the well-being of early childhood education (ECE) teachers over 31 years from 1993 to 2023. In this review, 167 articles selected from SCOPUS are analysed using a descriptive quantitative approach. The analysis shows that quantitative research methods and empirical research are predominant in this field. Significant increases have been identified in qualitative and mixed-method research approaches in recent years, presaging a more balanced knowledge base in the near future. However, there has been little change in the scarcity of other research types. Meanwhile, the fragmented conceptualization of well-being, as well as its corresponding measurement, remains an outstanding issue. Overall, this review lays the groundwork for an understanding of the current trajectory of well-being research, especially with respect to ECE teachers, from a developmental perspective.