Bridging Attitudes and Action: Linking Beliefs and Self-efficacy to Inclusive Practices

Abstract Book of the 9th World Conference on Research in Teaching and Education

Year: 2025

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Bridging Attitudes and Action: Linking Beliefs and Self-efficacy to Inclusive Practices

Eleftheria Beazidou, Evaggelos Foukas, Natassa Raikou

ABSTRACT:

The growing emphasis on inclusive education highlights teachers’ attitudes and self-efficacy as interrelated yet distinct predictors of inclusive practices. Building on prior literature that underscores their conceptual proximity, this study aimed to demonstrate the link between teachers’ views on inclusion and the extent to which these views are translated into practice. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 323 Greek secondary education teachers using three validated and culturally adapted instruments: the Attitudes toward Inclusive Education Scale (AIS), the Inclusive Classroom Teaching Intentions Scale (ITICS), and the Teacher Efficacy for Inclusive Practices Scale (TEIP). Pearson correlation analyses revealed strong within-instrument associations, indicating good internal coherence, and moderate cross-instrument associations, suggesting meaningful but not redundant relationships between attitudes, intentions, and self-efficacy. To further explore the latent structure, an Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) of AIS, ITICS and TEIP items yielded a four-factor solution explaining 56.14% of the variance. The factors reflected Teaching Adaptation and Collaborative Practices, Classroom Management and Behavioral Skills, Positive Attitudes toward Inclusion and Diversity, and Willingness to Cooperate and Comply. Overall, the findings demonstrate the empirical convergence of attitudes and self-efficacy across overlapping domains, underscoring their joint relevance for the design of effective inclusive interventions.

Keywords: Attitudes; Inclusive Education; Self-Efficacy; Teachers; Inclusive Practices