Teacher Professionalism and Cognitive‐Affective Factors: The Predictive Power of <scp>EFL</scp> Teachers' Continuing Professional Development in Their Agency and Reflective Teaching

ABSTRACT While the benefits of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) for enhancing pedagogical skills are well documented, its role in shaping teachers' agency and reflective teaching (RT) as cognitive‐affective constructs remains underexplored. Existing studies primarily focus on CPD's impact on instructional effectiveness, leaving a significant gap in understanding how it influences teachers' self‐regulation, professional autonomy, and reflective engagement. Moreover, the extent to which CPD is associated with variations in agency and RT, particularly in EFL contexts, has not been adequately investigated. To address these gaps, this study examined the relationships among CPD, agency, and RT using a survey‐based approach. A total of 384 Chinese EFL teachers participated in the study, completing three validated instruments: the Continuing Professional Development Questionnaire (CPDQ), the Teacher Agency Scale (TAS), and the Reflective Teaching Inventory (RTI). Correlational analyses revealed significant positive associations among CPD, agency, and RT. Furthermore, multiple regression analysis indicated that CPD accounted for 51% of the variance in teacher agency and 44% in RT, suggesting that greater engagement in CPD is linked to higher levels of agency and reflective teaching. This study contributes to the field by reframing CPD as more than a means of pedagogical improvement, emphasising its role in fostering teacher cognition, autonomy, and reflective practice. The findings challenge conventional CPD frameworks that prioritise technical training over cognitive‐affective development, advocating for professional development programs that actively cultivate teacher agency and reflection. For policymakers and teacher educators, the results underscore the need for CPD models that integrate structured opportunities for reflective inquiry, collaborative learning, and decision‐making autonomy. Future research should employ longitudinal and mixed‐methods designs to further explore the mechanisms through which CPD shapes teacher agency and reflection over time and across diverse educational settings.