Policy Satisfaction and Perceived Teacher Support Among Chinese Pre-service Preschool Teachers in a Government-funded Program: Latent Profiles and association with? Professional Identity

The relationship between policy satisfaction, perceived teacher support, and professional identity among Chinese pre-service preschool teachers in a government-funded teacher training program was examined through Latent Profile Analysis (LPA). Four distinct latent profiles were identified: Highly Satisfied-High Support, Moderately Satisfied-Moderate Support, Dissatisfied-Low Support, and Highly Dissatisfied-Low Support. A significant positive correlation was observed between both policy satisfaction and perceived teacher support with professional identity, with perceived teacher support emerging as a particularly strong predictor. Additionally, being an only child and having an urban background are significantly associated with the membership in the more favorable profiles. These findings highlight the need for targeted policy design and enhanced support to strengthen the professional identity of government-funded pre-service preschool teachers, particularly those from rural or non-only-child backgrounds.