How failure experience combined with high teacher self-aspect importance puts self-efficacy at risk among student teachers

Abstract

The present study focuses on how elementary-level student teachers reacted to difficulties during their first internship experience. More specifically, we analysed how their self-efficacy was affected by (a) their perception of failure during the internship, (b) the importance they assigned to their teacher self-aspect, and (c) the interaction between these two constructs. Using a quantitative design (N = 124), we measured their self-efficacy both before and after a 2-week internship. Results showed an overall increase in self-efficacy, but no such increase for participants with high teacher self-aspect who reported high failure experience, which indicated an amplifying moderation effect of teacher self-aspect in the relation between failure experience and change in self-efficacy. We discuss the profile of these “high-importance/high-failure” students and the support that can be given to them.