Resilience and prosociality: pathways to strengthen teachers' self-efficacy in the classroom

This study investigates the relationship between resilience and teacher self-efficacy in Chilean elementary school teachers, considering the mediating role of prosocial behavior. Based on a cross-sectional design and a large national sample (<i>N</i> = 1,426), structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to analyze both direct and indirect associations. Results revealed that resilience significantly predicts teacher self-efficacy, both directly and indirectly through prosociality. Among the three self-efficacy dimensions, stronger associations were observed in instructional strategies and student engagement. These findings highlight the importance of strengthening socioemotional competencies-such as resilience and prosocial tendencies-in teacher training programs, as key mechanisms to improve classroom management, teaching effectiveness, and student motivation in educational contexts.