Teachers' professional identity, defined as the complex of teachers' self-concept based on experiences, beliefs, values, and motives towards their profession and internalized professional roles (Chen et al., 2023; Korthagen, 2004), is a central element of teachers’ career development and largely determines their professional commitment and performance (Day et al., 2005; Mahmoudi-Gahrouei et al., 2016). Studies have shown that external factors, such as educational policies, teacher support, and parental expectations, as well as internal factors like teaching motivation and academic self-efficacy, can predict pre-service teachers' professional identity (Zhang Zhang et al., 2017; Whiston Schepens et al., 2009). However, there is a lack of systematic research on the impact of perceived parental expectations on pre-service teachers' professional identity and its mechanisms, especially for pre-service physical education (PE) teachers in China. This study aimed to explore the chain mediating relationship among perceived parental expectations, academic self-efficacy, motivation to teach, and professional identity of pre-service PE teachers in China. The findings of this study provide valuable insights for future research to design interventions to enhance professional identity, thus increasing professional commitment and teaching performance. Method: Participants were 401 undergraduate and graduate students majoring in PE from six Chinese normal universities. Questionnaires were administered online to measure perceived parental expectations, academic self-efficacy, teaching motivation, and professional identity, as well as demographic information. Internal consistency and Pearson correlation were conducted using SPSS 26.0. Structural equation modelling was conducted to test the conceptual model using Mplus8.3. There were significant correlations among perceived parental expectations, academic self-efficacy, motivation to teach, and professional identity (p < .01). The model fit indices were CFI=0.954, TLI=0.945, and RMSEA=0.072. The mediating effect of academic self-efficacy on the perceived parental expectations and professional identity relationship was not significant (95% CI -0.002, 0.046), whilst the mediating role of motivation to teach on the perceived parental expectations and professional identity relationship was significant (95% CI 0.054, 0.224). The chain mediating effect of academic self-efficacy and motivation to teach on the perceived parental expectations and professional identity relationship was found to be significant (95% CI 0.021, 0.099). Perceived parental expectations could enhance pre-service PE teachers’ professional identity by increasing pre-service PE teachers’ academic self-efficacy and motivation to teach. The improvement of pre-service teacher education and training programs and the collaboration between families and educational institutions should be well considered to enhance pre-service PE teachers’ professional identity.
Li et al. (Thu,) studied this question.