Preservice teachers’ motivation for a teaching career - a person-centred perspective

Adopting a person-centred perspective, this study sought to determine preservice teachers’ profiles based on their motivation for a teaching profession and compare them in terms of perceptions of the profession and satisfaction with career choice. An additional goal was to investigate potential differences between males and females, as well as prospective class and subject teachers. FIT-Choice scale was administered to 364 Serbian preservice teachers. A latent profile analysis identified three profiles. Disengaged negativists are distinguished by weak motivations, more negative perceptions of the teaching profession and the lowest satisfaction with the career choice, so this profile could be considered maladaptive. Uncritical Enthusiasts have the highest level of motivations and the most positive perceptions of task return. The profile named Autonomous realists is characterised by the lowest extrinsic and social influence motivation. The profiles differ with respect to gender, but no differences were observed between profiles in terms of educational background. Knowing about profiles can help in creating predictions about career paths and designing interventions that would be tailored to the needs of specific subgroups of Serbian preservice teachers.