Linking inclusive dispositions to teaching competency: the mediating role of self-development among preschool teachers

Inclusive education is a key component of equitable early childhood systems, yet its implementation relies heavily on teachers’ beliefs, attitudes, and professional capacities. In China’s rapidly expanding preschool sector, the development of teachers’ inclusive teaching competency remains insufficiently examined. This study investigates how preschool teachers’ inclusive education disposition (IED) influences their inclusive teaching competency (ITC), with self-development (SD) functioning as a mediating mechanism. A cross-sectional survey was administered to 425 preschool teachers across 16 districts in Shanghai, and partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to assess the measurement and structural models. The results show that IED significantly predicts ITC both directly and indirectly, while SD emerges as the strongest proximal predictor of ITC (β = 0.80, p < .001). The structural model accounts for 84% of the variance in ITC (R2 = 0.84), highlighting the central role of teachers’ goal setting, reflective engagement, and autonomous learning in translating inclusive dispositions into effective teaching practices. Conceptually, the study clarifies the distinct role of SD—as a developmental and reflective process rather than a belief construct—in linking dispositions with competencies. Practically, the findings suggest that strengthening teachers’ self-directed learning, reflective practice, and long-term professional growth opportunities is essential for sustaining improvements in inclusive teaching within early childhood education settings.