The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of early childhood teachers’ job satisfaction on teacher efficacy and to identify the mediating roles of colleague collaboration and desire for self-development. Data were collected from 337 ea...
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of early childhood teachers’ job satisfaction on teacher efficacy and to identify the mediating roles of colleague collaboration and desire for self-development. Data were collected from 337 early childhood teachers and analyzed using SPSS 26.0 and Process Macro 4.2. The results showed the following. First, job satisfaction, colleague collaboration, desire for self- development, and teacher efficacy were significantly related through direct effects.
Second, colleague collaboration and desire for self-development mediated the relationship between job satisfaction and teacher efficacy. These findings suggest that early childhood teachers’ job satisfaction, collaboration with colleagues, and the desire for self-development are critical factors in enhancing teacher efficacy. To improve teacher efficacy, it is essential to support teachers in experiencing satisfaction with their work, fostering collaboration among colleagues, and encouraging self- directed professional growth. This study provides foundational data for developing practical strategies to promote teacher efficacy in early childhood education settings.