Exploring attitudes towards errors and frustration intolerance in pre-service teachers

The present study examines the attitudes of 382 Spanish pre-service teachers regarding their own mistakes as learners, their frustration intolerance, and the use of errors in their future teaching roles. Findings showed that pre-service teachers in early childhood and primary education are less likely to embrace errors and exhibit higher levels of frustration intolerance compared to their secondary education counterparts. In addition, these traits were identified as significant predictors of teachers’ attitudes towards their own mistakes. The results suggest the need for specialized teacher training programmes that equip pre-service teachers with effective error management strategies for classroom use. • Prospective teachers often struggle to view mistakes positively, missing learning opportunities. • Teachers in early grades show more frustration intolerance, often downplaying mistakes. • Teachers prioritizing learner-centred methods have more positive attitudes toward errors. • Cognitive attitudes and frustration intolerance affect how future teachers handle classroom errors. • Teacher education should foster constructive learning where errors are normalized for positive management.