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Introduction Teachers' self-efficacy is an important aspect of teacher quality, yet the mechanisms linking school climate to teacher self-efficacy remain underexplored, particularly in non-Western contexts. This study examined whether motivation to join the teaching profession and teacher collaboration mediate the relationship between school climate and teacher self-efficacy. Methods Data were collected through an online survey of 4,885 teachers from 200 primary and secondary schools in X city in western China using a modified questionnaire based on the Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) 2018. Correlation analyses and serial mediation analyses were conducted while controlling for gender, school type, age, years of teaching experience, advanced degree, and employment status. Results School climate was positively associated with teacher self-efficacy. Motivation to join the teaching profession, teacher collaboration, and teacher self-efficacy were significantly and positively related. Motivation to join the teaching profession and teacher collaboration each showed significant partial mediating effects in the association between school climate and teacher self-efficacy, and they also formed a significant serial mediation pathway. Discussion The findings suggest that a positive school climate may be linked to stronger teacher self-efficacy both directly and indirectly through teachers' motivation and collaboration. The study provides context-sensitive evidence from a non-Western setting and offers practical implications for policymakers and school leaders seeking to strengthen teacher efficacy by fostering supportive school environments, teacher motivation, and collaborative practices.
Wu et al. (Fri,) studied this question.