Building Resilience among Pre-Service Teachers in the Digital Era: Examining the Role of Technological and Psychological Predictors

Abstract

In the context of rapid technological advancements, fostering resilience among pre-service teachers has become increasingly critical. This study explores the impact of attitude toward artificial intelligence (AI) on resilience, with a particular focus on the mediating roles of cognitive flexibility, hope, and mindful attention awareness. Utilizing a descriptive research design, data were collected from a sample of 300 pre-service teachers enrolled in Bachelor of Education programs across various government and government-aided colleges in Punjab, selected through simple random sampling. The study employed standardized instruments, including the Attitude Toward Artificial Intelligence Scale (Mukherjee & Dasgupta, 2024), Cognitive Flexibility Inventory (Dennis & Vander Wal, 2010), Hope Scale (Snyder et al., 1991), Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (Brown & Ryan, 2003), and the Resilience Scale (Brown & Rayan, 2003). Correlation analysis indicated significant positive relationships among all variables. Path analysis further confirmed the significant direct effect of AI attitudes on resilience. Mediation analysis revealed that cognitive flexibility, hope, and mindful attention awareness significantly mediated the relationship between attitude toward AI and resilience. These findings underscore the importance of both technological and psychological predictors in developing resilience among pre-service teachers in the digital era. The study offers implications for teacher education programs aiming to enhance psychological adaptability and technology integration.