Explaining Pre-Service Teachers’ Career Adaptability through the Mediating Role of Academic Motivation

Career adaptability plays a vital role in shaping students' professional development, particularly in teacher-training programs. Guided by the broaden-and-build theory, this study employs a structural equation modelling(SEM) method to investigate the interplay between career adaptability and negative emotion. To delve into how negative emotion impact career adaptability and whether adaptive academic motivation mitigates adverse emotional effects, data were gathered from public-funded undergraduate students enrolled in teacher-training programs. The results of this study indicate that academic motivation acts as a mediator in the relationship between negative emotion and career adaptability. Implications for educational institutions and teacher training programs are discussed, highlighting strategies to enhance students’ adaptability and well-being.