Help! I Need Somebody: A Systematic Review of Academic Help-Seeking Among Pre-Service Teachers

Abstract

Academic help-seeking (AHS) is widely recognized as an important component of self-regulated learning for preservice teachers, enabling them to address the challenges of their training. However, studies in this field show mixed results, reflecting the complexity of the phenomenon. To provide a comprehensive synthesis of the existing evidence, this review draws on 32 empirical studies published up to 2025 that met the established inclusion criteria and examines how AHS has been measured, which variables are associated with it, and which sources are accessed during training. Findings indicate substantial heterogeneity in measurement approaches, and AHS was frequently associated with academic achievement, self-regulation, and self-efficacy, although these associations were not consistent across studies. Additionally, preservice teachers tend to rely more on informal help sources. The results further suggest that contextual and social conditions play an important role in AHS, highlighting the importance of supportive learning environments and accessible formal guidance. Taken together, the evidence suggests that AHS may be understood as a contextually and motivationally influenced regulatory process rather than a stable individual disposition. In this sense, the review contributes to the literature by offering a more integrated conceptualization of AHS as a socially embedded regulatory process within self-regulated learning, highlighting the relational nature of AHS in teacher education and suggesting its potential implications for professional identity development. These findings have implications for teacher education programs, suggesting the value of fostering supportive learning environments and strengthening the relational accessibility of formal support structures.