Emotional Intelligence and Vocational Identity Among Trainee Teachers: The Specific Indirect Association via Vocational Self-Concept Crystallization
Keywords:
emotional intelligence, crystallizing, vocational identity, career construction, trainee teachersAbstract
This study examined whether crystallizing, defined as clarifying one’s vocational self-concept, specifically accounted for the association between emotional intelligence and vocational identity among trainee teachers. A cross-sectional survey involved 678 first- to third-year trainee teachers from six higher-education institutions in Jilin Province, China. Chinese versions of the Schutte Self-Report Emotional Intelligence Test, the crystallizing subscale of the Student Career Construction Inventory, and the Vocational Identity Status Assessment measured the focal constructs. Data were analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling and bootstrapping with 5,000 resamples. Emotional intelligence was positively associated with crystallizing (β = .440, p < .001). In a parallel model containing all four career construction responses, crystallizing remained positively associated with vocational identity after controlling for emotional intelligence and the other responses (β = .136, p < .001). Emotional intelligence also retained a significant direct association with vocational identity (β = .181, p < .001). The specific indirect association through crystallizing was positive but small (β = .060, p = .001). Thus, vocational self-clarification may partly account for this association among participants. However, the cross-sectional design prevents causal or temporal inference. Moreover, the outcome assessed general vocational identity, not teacher professional identity or intention to enter teaching.References
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