Faculty stressors and their relations to teacher efficacy, engagement and teaching satisfaction

ABSTRACT

This study investigated faculty-perceived stressors and their relationships with teacher efficacy, engagement and teaching satisfaction in mainland China. The results of a survey of 2758 faculty members from 25 public institutions showed a generally high level of stress, and the stress varied among different types of institution and demographic groups. In a series of bivariate analyses and structural equation models, we found no compelling evidence that faculty stressors were associated with efficacy, engagement, or satisfaction. Instead, our findings show that efficacy is a key factor in explaining the variation in teaching outcomes. These findings suggest a need to elaborate our theoretical models on faculty development and stress to include processes of stress appraisal and coping.

KEYWORDS:

• Stressors
• teacher efficacy
• teacher engagement
• teaching satisfaction
• China

Acknowledgement

This article is dedicated to Jiying's mother who passed away during the revision of this manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Humanity and Social Science Fund of China's Ministry of Education for Young Scholars [Grant Number 17YJC880033]; Shandong University Program of Undergraduate Teaching and Learning Reform: [Grant Number 2019Y034]; CUHK Direct Grant for Research: [Grant Number 4058057].