Pre-service teachers’ teaching satisfaction and the roles of job resources and psychological capital

There has been well-established literature on factors that contribute to in-service teachers' teaching satisfaction. However, pre-service teachers' job satisfaction, particularly the roles of job and personal resources that contribute to it, is relatively underexplored. The aim of this study is to examine pre-service teachers' psychological capital and job resources and their relationships with teaching satisfaction. This study draws on the conservation of resources theory in order to understand the roles of job resources (i.e. organizational support, growth opportunities, relationships with classmates, and control) and psychological capital (i.e. efficacy, hope, resilience, and optimism) in teaching satisfaction. Using data from a sample of 413 pre-service teachers, results of structural equation modeling provided support for the model of organizational support and growth opportunities predicting teaching satisfaction through psychological capital. The findings of the study underscore the important roles of job resources and psychological capital toward a positive teaching experience among pre-service teachers.