Date
4-29-2026
Department
School of Education
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD)
Chair
Antionette Stroter
Keywords
Teacher Self-Efficacy, Collective Trust, Special Education, Public Schools
Disciplines
Special Education and Teaching
Recommended Citation
Britt, Jason J., "Examining the Predictive Relationship Between Collective Trust and Teacher Self-Efficacy Among Special Education Teachers: A Quantitative Study" (2026). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 8319.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/8319
Abstract
The purpose of this quantitative predictive correlational study was to investigate the extent to which teacher self-efficacy for teaching students with disabilities can be predicted by collective trust among special education teachers. This study filled the gap in the literature regarding the effects of collective trust on teacher self-efficacy for teaching students with disabilities. Research on the impact of collective trust on teacher self-efficacy for teaching students with disabilities was lacking. A G*Power analysis was conducted, and a sample of 55 participants was required to support a medium effect size (.15) and a power of .80 at the alpha level of .05. The sample participants in this study included 64 special education teachers working in public schools in southeast Virgina. The Teaching Students with Disabilities Efficacy Scale and the Omnibus Trust Scale were used to measure teacher self-efficacy for teaching students with disabilities and collective trust. Data were collected anonymously through an electronic survey platform. The data was analyzed using bivariate linear regression and the results indicated there was no significant predictive relationship between teacher self-efficacy for teaching students with disabilities and collective trust. It is recommended that further research examine similar participants in different geographical locations in charter and private schools. Furthermore, future research should conduct a quantitative or qualitative study examining teacher self-efficacy for teaching students with disabilities using a longitudinal research design.
