The moderating role of psychological resilience in the relationship between public personnel selection examination anxiety and employment anxiety among pre-service physical education teacher candidates

Pre-service physical education teachers frequently encounter intense examination anxiety while preparing for the Public Personnel Selection Examination (KPSS), along with uncertainty regarding employment after graduation. Such concurrent stressors may shape their psychological adjustment and career outlook during the transition into professional life. This study aimed to examine the relationship between KPSS anxiety and employment anxiety and to test the moderating role of psychological resilience within this relationship. A quantitative approach using a relational survey design was employed, and the sample consisted of 293 teacher candidates studying in or graduated from state universities during the 2023–2025 academic years. Data were collected online through a Personal Information Form, the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale, the KPSS Anxiety Scale, and the Employment Anxiety Scale. Analyses were conducted using IBM SPSS (v27) and IBM AMOS. The construct validity of the measurement instruments was supported through confirmatory factor analysis, while relationships among variables were examined using correlation and regression-based moderation analysis (PROCESS Model 1). Results indicated that KPSS anxiety significantly predicted employment anxiety, and psychological resilience significantly moderated this relationship. Although resilience did not exhibit a significant direct effect, the interaction term demonstrated its role in shaping how examination-related stress relates to employment concerns. The model accounted for 36% of the variance in employment anxiety. Overall, findings suggest that interventions focusing solely on examination preparation may be insufficient, and integrating resilience-enhancing psychological support into teacher education programs may contribute to healthier career transition processes.