Heffern, Jade Kaeding (2021) Pre-Service Teachers’ Personality Traits and Dispositional Factors, and its Relationship to Self-Efficacy and Commitment to the Profession. Doctoral thesis, Northern Arizona University.
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Abstract
This study examined the relationship of pre-service teachers’ personality factors, dispositions, grit, self-efficacy, and commitment by exploring the interplay of these relationships and their potential predictive nature. Teacher retention is a pressing issue, as 42% of new teachers are likely to quit the profession within five years of entry (Ingersoll et al., 2014). Previous literature has posited that understanding the psychological profiles of pre-service teachers could provide an avenue to better prepare teachers and may have the potential to attract, assist, and retain quality teachers (Corcoran & O’Flaherty, 2016). An online set of instruments composed of a demographic questionnaire and five self-report measures was completed by 145 pre-service teachers. Results were analyzed using bivariate correlations and stepwise regression. Many statistically significant relationships were found. Dispositions and grit significantly predicted self-efficacy. Grit, neuroticism, dispositions, and agreeableness significantly predicted commitment. Conscientiousness and neuroticism significantly predicted grit. Conscientiousness, agreeableness, and extraversion significantly predicted dispositions. This study provided evidence that significant relationships exist among several psychological characteristics of pre-service teachers. Multiple factors appear to display an interaction effect indicating pre-service teachers’ demonstrating psychological strengths in one area may likely possess strengths in other areas. Pre-service teachers may draw upon these psychological assets when faced with challenges. The results suggest the inverse may also be true. Pre-service teachers displaying lower levels of psychological assets may be prone to experiencing psychological distress across other factors and may benefit from additional external supports such as mentoring. This information can help teacher preparation programs consider specific interventions to target these factors to better prepare pre-service teachers.
Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
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Publisher’s Statement: | © Copyright is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the Cline Library, Northern Arizona University. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. |
Keywords: | commitment; dispositions; grit; personality; pre-service teacher; self-efficacy |
Subjects: | L Education > LB Theory and practice of education |
NAU Depositing Author Academic Status: | Student |
Department/Unit: | Graduate College > Theses and Dissertations College of Education > Educational Psychology |
Date Deposited: | 09 Feb 2022 17:32 |
Last Modified: | 09 Feb 2022 17:32 |
URI: | https://openknowledge.nau.edu/id/eprint/5677 |
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