The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between cognitive distortions, self-handicapping tendencies, and self-esteem in a sample of students studying in a school of education. The sample of the study was comprised of 507 volunteer students chosen through random sampling from a total of 4,720 students who were studying teaching at Nigde University and Aksaray University, located in central Anatolia in Turkey. The self-handicapping scale, cognitive distortions scale, and Rosenberg self-esteem scale were used in the present study. In a preliminary analysis, it was found that women had higher self-handicapping scores than men. In the current study, it was found that cognitive distortions (self-criticism, self-blame, hopelessness, and preoccupation with danger) and self-esteem significantly predicted self-handicapping tendencies. The mediator and moderator role of self-esteem on the relation between cognitive distortions and self-handicapping were the major questions of this study. It was found that self-esteem did not have a mediator role on the relationship between cognitive distortions or self-handicapping in the current study group. However, the study revealed important findings regarding the moderator role of self-esteem on the relationship between cognitive distortions and self-handicapping. That is, high levels of cognitive distortions (self-criticism, self-blame, hopelessness, and preoccupation with danger) were related to a high self-handicapping tendency for teacher candidates with low self-esteem.