What matters for early teacher identity? A CHAID analysis

This study aimed to identify the variables playing a role in the formation of early teacher identity among preservice teachers. The data were collected from 263 junior and senior preservice teachers in Türkiye, using measures of preservice teacher identity and factors affecting preservice teachers’ teacher identity. The CHAID analysis identified the significant predictors of early teacher identity. The participants were clustered according to their early teacher identity levels as those exhibiting high and low levels of early teacher identity. Among various variables including gender, grade level, department, close social environment, education life before higher education, teaching experience, personal characteristics, features of the profession, and media effect, the only significant variable predicting the formation of clusters was preservice teachers’ personal characteristics. This result, which highlights the importance of innate and personal characteristics, has implications for teacher education programs and admission to teaching positions.