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

Xiaomeng Chen; Jingxun Zhong; Manli Luo; Minghui Lu

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00374

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

Front Psychol. 2020 Mar 13:11:374. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00374. eCollection 2020.

Authors

Xiaomeng Chen¹, Jingxun Zhong², Manli Luo³, Minghui Lu⁴

Affiliations

¹ Special Education Department, School of Education, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China.
² Institute of Educational Administration, School of Education, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China.
³ Futian Zhuxiang School, Shenzhen, China.
⁴ Special Education Department, School of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China.

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.

Keywords: academic self-efficacy; mediating effect; preservice special education teachers; professional identity; social support.