Analysis of the Relationship Between Pre-Service Early Childhood Teachers' Major Satisfaction, Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy, and Play Teaching Efficacy

This study aims to analyze the relationship between pre-service early childhood teachers' major satisfaction, career decision-making self-efficacy, and play teaching efficacy and to identify factors influencing major satisfaction. The subjects of the study were 302 pre-service early childhood teachers enrolled in a four-year university program in early childhood education. Data were collected using scales for major satisfaction, career decision-making self-efficacy, and play teaching efficacy. The collected data were analyzed using Pearson's correlation coefficient and stepwise multiple regression analysis. The results indicated a positive correlation between major satisfaction and career decision-making self-efficacy, as well as between major satisfaction and play teaching efficacy among pre-service early childhood teachers. Furthermore, play teaching efficacy and career decision-making self-efficacy were identified as significant predictors of major satisfaction, in that order. Examining sub-factors, beliefs about play teaching efficacy, goal selection within career decision-making self-efficacy, expectations for outcomes in play teaching efficacy, and information gathering on careers within career decision-making self-efficacy were the most influential predictors of major satisfaction. These findings reveal variables that influence pre-service early childhood teachers' major satisfaction and can serve as foundational data for strategies to improve it.