Academic Self-Efficacy, Social Support, and Professional Identity Among Preservice Special Education Teachers in China.

Xiaomeng Chen,Minghui Lu,Manli Luo,Jingxun Zhong

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00374

Xiaomeng Chen, Minghui Lu + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00374

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Abstract

The relationship among the social support, professional identity, and academic self-efficacy (ASE) of Chinese preservice special education teachers are explored by measuring the perceived social support, professional identity, and ASE of 302 undergraduate students. Results of the multiple regression are as follows. (1) A significant positive correlation exists among ASE, social support, and professional identity. When preservice special education teachers perceive high social support, they have a high sense of professional identity and high ASE. (2) Professional identity exerts a full mediation effect on the relationship between social support and ASE. In particular, social support positively influences ASE via professional identity. The results are discussed at the end of this paper and recommendations for improving the ASE of preservice special education teachers are presented.

Highlights

Teacher education has long played an intuitive and important role in special education
This study aims to contribute to the understanding of academic self-efficacy (ASE) and related sociodemographic factors, such as social support and professional identity, among Chinese preservice special education teachers
A relationship exists among the social support, professional identity, and ASE of preservice special education teachers

Summary

Introduction

Teacher education has long played an intuitive and important role in special education. More than 50 such specialized educational institutions can be found throughout the country, most of which have been established since 2000 (Wang and Mu, 2014). Preservice special education teachers in China have not undertaken any special education teaching work and are referred to as student teachers in this paper. Special education teacher education has made remarkable strides in China, few studies have focused on the psychological state of these student teachers. Chen and Yang (2018) surveyed 538 preservice special education teachers and found that 58.9% of them did not choose this major voluntarily and that their lack of in-depth knowledge of this major led them to think they were not suitable for this specialty during their study

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