Preschool teachers’ perspective on how high noise levels at preschool affect children’s behavior

Early exposure to noise can have long-term health implications that we currently know little about. Age-specific hearing, learning inadequate coping strategies and varying biological stress-regulating responses may affect health in the long term. In Sweden, approximately half a million children between the ages of 1 and 5 attend pre-school. Exposure to noise in pre-schools is periodic and unpredictable, and levels can reach 84 dB (indoors) with a maximum level of 118 dB LA_F, mostly due to child activity. In order to increase general understanding of the health implications related to noise in pre-school, this study describes children’s behavioural and emotional reactions to noise, and the management of their everyday sound environment from a pre-school teacher perspective.

82% of respondents believed that children’s behaviour was affected quite a lot or a lot by noise. The most prominent patterns of behaviour were categorised as: being heard, being distracted, showing negative internal emotions, crowding, evasion, withdrawal, being exhausted and learning. The quantitative analysis confirmed an association between the perceived noise and noise disturbances in pre-school and confirmatory reporting of how noise influenced children’s behaviour. The youngest age group reported noise-related behaviour less frequently, and the results indicate that children aged 1 to 5 are less affected by noise than the older children. Pedagogical orientation was not a significant factor.

The data collection consisted of questionnaires sent by post between 2013 and 2014. 3986 pre-school teachers responded. Content analysis was combined with a qualitative analysis. In the qualitative analysis, explanatory factors such as noise level and degree of noise nuisance, factors related to pre-school and the age of the respondents were analysed in relation to the key question: “Do you think the noise level in pre-school has an impact on children’s behaviour?”. The analyses were carried out using logistic regression. In the rough analysis, only one factor at a time was included in the model, while the final adjusted model included all the factors at the same time. The probability rate test was used to assess the model’s adaptability. A significant level of p<0.05 was used. Education (the pre-school teacher’s education) and gender were part of the inclusion criteria.

The free text responses were analysed in a content analysis. In addition, a manifest analysis was used to describe the visible and obvious aspects of the answers.

Waye, K. P, Fredriksson, S., Hussain-Alkhateeb, L., Gustafsson, J. & van Kamp, I. (2019). «Preschool teachers’ perspective on how high noise levels at preschool affect children’s behavior». PLoS ONE, 14(3):e0214464.