Introduction. The problem of this study is to identify the causes of socio-psychological tension in preschool education. The aim of the research is to analyze the factors of socio-psychological tension in the children’s community in order to prevent the risks of disintegration and conflicts in preschool education.
Materials and Methods. In order to achieve the research goal, the following tasks were solved: to clarify the research concepts; to study the positions of teachers and parents on the resolution of situations involving socio-psychological tension in the children’s environment; to identify factors causing conflicts and disintegration in the process of children’s communication in preschool education settings. From the standpoint of an axiological approach, introducing children to the traditional moral values of multinational Russian society is a mechanism that ensures the positive socialization of a child in preschool education. The guidelines of this approach are implemented in the framework of studying the views of teachers and parents on the process of child’s development in preschool education, the role of adults in resolving children’s conflicts and the independence of children in resolving quarrels in the children’s interaction. Through a survey of teachers and parents, the general positions of adults regarding ways to resolve children’s conflicts, as well as the specific views of teachers and parents on the causes and content of conflicts in the children’s interaction, were revealed. Prevention of disintegration and conflicts in the children’s interaction can be successfully implemented within the framework of a propaedeutic approach that takes into account the factors of socio-psychological tension in the children’s group. The positions of this approach are implemented within the framework of studying the level of interaction of children in kindergarten groups, taking into account their age, the level of independence and autonomy of the children’s group, the nature of adult assistance in resolving situations of socio-psychological tension. Based on the analysis of records for monitoring the interaction of children in peer groups, the factors influencing the occurrence, course and resolution of conflict situations in the children’s interaction have been identified.
Results. The authors identified the main signs of situations of socio-psychological tension in the children’s environment, identified indicators of disintegration and conflict in preschool education, analyzed the positions of adults (teachers and parents) regarding the resolution of situations of socio-psychological tension in the peer group, classified the factors influencing the occurrence of conflicts and disintegration in the process of interaction between children, justified the methods of preventing the risks of disintegration and conflicts based on the propaedeutic approach to teaching within preschool education.
Conclusions. The main causes of socio-psychological tension in the children’s communities in preschool education are socio-psychological and socio-pedagogical factors. Socio-psychological factors include the age characteristics of children (the formation of independence and autonomy of the child), the nature of relationships among peers (the ability to work in a group, compliance with rules and norms, independent resolution of conflict situations). Socio-pedagogical factors determine the nature of child-adult interaction (the role of the teacher in the organization of the children’s group, the position of the teacher in the process of resolving situations of socio-psychological tension) and the ways of organizing collective activities of children (distribution of roles, organization of space and time, acceptance of a common goal). The organization of a children’s team based on proactive teaching management takes into account the identified factors and is aimed at reducing the risks of disintegration and conflict in the children’s environment. Following this approach, the teacher enhancing children’s independence and autonomy in conflict resolution, promotes the adoption of a common goal and self-regulation of children’s interaction based on rules and norms of behavior in the group.