Pre-service teachers' self-efficacy mediates the relationship between career adaptability and career optimism

Teachers' self-efficacy is positively associated with job satisfaction and commitment. What is less clear in the teacher education literature is to what extent pre-service teachers' self-efficacy influences and is influenced by other psychological factors associated with career engagement. The current research contributes to understanding the complex of interrelations by demonstrating that pre-service teachers' self-efficacy directly predicts their career optimism and mediates the effect of career adaptability on career optimism. With regard to pre-service teacher education, these findings are significant because, like self-efficacy, career adaptability and career optimism are amenable to promotion via learning experiences. Thus, professional learning activities may be tailored to focus on the development of self efficacy to indirectly enhance pre-service teachers' career adaptability and career optimism. (C) 2017 ElseVier Ltd. All rights reserved.