Relationship between prospective teachers’ perceived social support and stress in classroom: Mediating role of self-efficacy

This study aims to examine the mediating role of teacher self-efficacy in the relationship between social support and classroom stress among prospective teachers. For this purpose, data were collected from a total of 725 pre-service teachers enrolled in the faculties of education at five different universities in Turkey. The data collection instruments included the Teachers’ Sense of Efficacy Scale, the Social Support Scale, and the Teacher Stress Inventory. To evaluate the relationships among perceived social support, self-efficacy levels, and classroom stress, a path analysis was performed to verify the fit of two models. While Model 1 considered both direct and indirect effects, Model 2 included only direct effects. Structural equation modelling was employed to test the hypothesized mediation effect. The results revealed that the relationship between classroom stress and social support (specifically support from teachers and classmates) was fully mediated by teacher self-efficacy. Furthermore, Model 1 showed a better fit compared to Model 2. These findings highlight the critical role of social support and self-efficacy in managing stress among prospective teachers. The results are interpreted in the context of the existing literature, and the implications for teacher training programmes are discussed. Recommendations for future research are also provided.