The relationship between occupational stigma consciousness and occupational identity among pre-service early childhood education teachers in China: a four-year longitudinal study.

Introduction: For pre-service early childhood education teachers, occupational identity is foundational to career commitment. However, its cultivation is challenged by occupational stigma consciousness. Longitudinal research on their reciprocal relationship remains limited. This study examined this gap over 4 years. Methods: A four-wave longitudinal survey involved 34 pre-service early education teachers from University B in Jilin Province, China. Participants completed the Occupational Stigma Scale and Occupational Identity Scale. Repeated measures ANOVA examined time, gender, and admission status effects. Cross-lagged panel analysis tested reciprocal relationships between occupational stigma consciousness and occupational identity. Results: (1) both variables were unstable; occupational stigma consciousness peaked in the freshman year, lowest in junior year; occupational identity was lowest in freshman year, significantly lower in sophomore than junior year; (2) males and reassigned admission students reported higher stigma and lower identity; (3) earlier occupational stigma consciousness negatively predicted later occupational identity; conversely, freshman occupational identity negatively predicted sophomore stigma, but subsequent years showed no prediction. Discussion: Findings underscore the urgent need to mitigate occupational stigma consciousness impacts on pre-service early education teachers' occupational identity, especially during initial training stages where identity's protective role is most evident against stigma.