School climate as a predictor of teacher self-efficacy in schools for students with developmental disabilities

Teacher self-efficacy is crucial for the quality and outcomes of education and positively impacts the well-being of both students and teachers in the school environment. Among numerous factors associated with teacher self-efficacy, school climate plays a significant role. This study aims to determine the relationship between school climate and teacher self-efficacy in schools for students with developmental disabilities and impairments. The sample includes 150 teachers from five secondary schools for students with developmental disabilities in various cities across Serbia. Data were collected using the Revised School Level Environment Questionnaire (Revised SLEQ) and the Ohio State Teacher Efficacy Scale (OSTES). The results indicate that the regression model is significant and explains 13.0% of the variance (R² = 0.13, F(4, 139) = 5.19, p = 0.001). Relationships with students emerged as the only significant predictor of teacher self-efficacy (b = 0.24, p = 0.004). These findings contribute to understanding the connections between specific domains of school climate and teacher self-efficacy. The discussion addresses the implications of these findings for the professional development of teachers in schools for students with developmental disabilities.