The role of received social support and self-efficacy for the satisfaction of basic psychological needs in teacher education

ABSTRACT

We conducted a cross-sectional questionnaire study in 2016 with 697 student teachers from two Universities. The study used structural equation modelling to analyse the effects of received social support from family and fellow-students as well as perceived self-efficacy in relation to the basic psychological needs in teacher education. To measure the effects of received social support on the satisfaction of basic needs, we developed two scales adapting Mansfield’s qualitative approach on teacher resilience. Perceived self-efficacy turned out to be effected directly by received fellow-students’ support as well as having a mediation effect on higher levels of autonomy and competence, whereas received family support leads only to higher levels of autonomy. Especially received fellow-students’ support is directly connected to higher levels of need satisfaction. Finally, we discuss conclusions for shaping conditions of university-life according to experiencing what is necessary for a higher level of perception and satisfaction of basic psychological needs.

KEYWORDS:

• Student teacher attitudes
• social support
• basic psychological needs
• resilience
• self-efficacy

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Wassilis Kassis

Wassilis Kassis is a professor of Education at the Department of Research and Development of the School of Education FHNW in Switzerland. His research interests concern students' and teachers’ resilience processes.

Ulrike Graf

Ulrike Graf is a professor of Education at the Department of Educational Sciences of the Faculty of Educational and Social Sciences at University of Education Heidelberg in Germany. Her research interests concern resilience and well-being.

Roger Keller

Roger Keller is a professor of social and health psychology at the Zurich University of Teacher Education in Switzerland. His research interests concern health promotion and prevention in the school setting.

Kathrin Ding

Kathrin Ding is a PhD student at the Department of Educational Sciences of the Faculty of Educational and Social Sciences at University of Education Heidelberg in Germany. Her research interests concern teachers’ self-efficacy and minimal psychological interventions in education.

Carsten Rohlfs

Carsten Rohlfs is a professor of Education at the Department of Educational Sciences of the Faculty of Educational and Social Sciences at University of Education Heidelberg in Germany. His research interests concern students’ motivation and school development.