Dynamics of professionals’ daily negative emotions and assessments of the emotional climate among children in Finnish early childhood education and care

This study examined dynamics between Finnish early childhood education and care (ECEC) professionals' ( N = 77) daily negative emotions and both harmonious and discordant climates in the child group using a mobile diary during five consecutive working days. Professionals' negative emotions and their assessments of the emotional climate were associated within the workday, but the previous day's interpretation of the emotional climate predicted next-day negative emotions only from Monday to Tuesday. Professionals' negative emotions alone showed day-to-day continuity. The findings highlight the need to improve professionals' awareness of the effects of their negative emotions on the child group. • Daily continuity was found in ECEC professionals' negative emotions. • Negative emotions and emotional climate assessments on the same day were related. • Emotional climate assessments predicted negative emotions from Monday to Tuesday. • Raising professionals' awareness of negative emotions and assessments is crucial.