Towards a model of teacher well-being: personal and job resources involved in teacher burnout and engagement

Abstract

Although much research has focused on the role of job demands and job resources in teacher well-being, few studies have targeted the function of personal variables.The aim of this study is to develop a comprehensive model of teacher well-being, using burnout and engagement in order to reflect, not only job demands and professional resources, but particularly the personal resources that characterise teacher well-being: self-efficacy, and cognitive and behavioural coping resources (proactive and reactive) related to three specific situational demands. Job resources were: autonomy, social support from colleagues and supervisors, and variety and feedback provision at work. Participants were 413 teachers from 47 elementary, primary and secondary schools in Madrid (Spain). The results show paths between the significant variables of the model in the anticipated direction. A line of influence starts in perceived demands and perceived self-efficacy, and is modulated by coping. This generates some degree of teacher well-being, which in turn is affected by teachers’ available job resources. Engagement seems to have a considerable effect on burnout.

Keywords:

• personal resources
• self-efficacy
• coping
• burnout
• engagement
• teachers

Acknowledgements

We thank all the teachers included in the sample for their participation in this study. This paper has been funded by the Spanish Education and Science Ministry (SEJ2007-60465/EDUC).