Attachment Styles Among Malaysian Trainee Teachers: Its Relationship with Self-Efficacy and Professionalism
University Malaysia Sabah
ABSTRACT
The main purpose of this research was to investigate the relationship between attachment style and self-efficacy with professionalism among trainee teachers in public teacher training institutes in Sabah, Malaysia. This quantitative survey research involved 295 trainee teachers from first year to the final year (161 from UMS and 134 from IPG) using purposive, cluster and simple random samplings. This research used four types of Attachment Style developed by Bartholomew and Horowitz (1991), and Teacher's Efficacy instrument from Conceptual Classroom Management by Friedman & Kass (2002) as the main platform for the research framework. Data was analysed using SPSS Version 21. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to interpret and report the data. The main finding demonstrated significant correlation of independent variables which are attachment styles (except Dismissing style) and self-efficacy with the dependent variable which is professionalism. The Pearson Correlation analysis showed that efficacy had stronger correlation with professionalism compared to attachments styles (r= 0.551, p = 0.001). The independent samples t-test indicated that there was no significant difference between mean score of the dependent variable in relation of gender. The findings also showed there was no significant difference between mean score of dependent variable in relation of institutes (UMS & IPG). Finally, it is hoped that his research will be able to contribute valuable input for the enhancement of the national educational system.
KEYWORDS
Attachment, efficacy, professionalism, trainee teacher