Background <p>Teachers’ professional development is a pivotal aspect of educational psychology. However, the lack of comprehensive examination into the interconnectedness of school climate, teachers’ self-efficacy, and instructional practice impedes the design of targeted and impactful professional development initiatives for teachers. Therefore, the present study seeks to address this gap by elucidating the relationships among these key factors under social cognitive theory and to examine in what ways teachers perceive as having an influence on their present needs in professional development.</p> Methods <p>The present study used the Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) 2018 database. The dataset comprised 3647 valid responses from secondary school teachers in Shanghai (China). Structural equation modeling (SEM) was applied, and the reliability and validity of the research model were tested.</p> Results <p>The findings from our analysis revealed significant associations between school climate, teachers’ self-efficacy, instructional practice, and perceived needs in professional development. Notably, we found that school climate operated as the determinant of teachers’ needs in professional development via chain mediators of self-efficacy and instructional practice.</p> Conclusions <p>Our study underscores the importance of considering the interconnected nature of these constructs in shaping teachers’ needs in professional development. By identifying these relationships, we contribute insights into current strengths and weaknesses of the education and teacher development system in China and guide the development of evidence-based professional development program that align with teachers’ needs.</p>