Metacognition and self-efficacy among pre-service EFL teachers: The mediating role of self-regulation

The growing emphasis on cognitive and motivational dimensions of teacher development highlights the importance of how metacognitive awareness, self-regulation, and self-efficacy interact during pre-service education. This study explores the structural relationships among these constructs and examines whether self-regulation mediates the link between metacognitive awareness and teacher self-efficacy in pre-service English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers in Türkiye. 266 participants completed validated instruments. Results showed high levels of confidence regarding their teaching ability, self-regulatory practices, and awareness of their own thinking processes. Moreover, it was revealed that metacognitive awareness was positively associated with both self-regulation and self-efficacy among pre-service EFL teachers. In particular, self-regulation played a mediating role in the relationship between metacognitive awareness and self-efficacy, suggesting that teachers who are more metacognitively aware tend to develop stronger efficacy beliefs through enhanced regulatory processes. Overall, the results highlight the conceptual importance of fostering metacognitive and self-regulatory capacities in teacher education programs to support the development of professional confidence.