Perceived Teacher Self-Efficacy as a Predictor of Job Stress and Burnout: Mediation Analyses

Teacher self-efficacy is studied as a personal resource factor that may protect from the experience of job strain and, thus, make the escalation of burnout less likely. The article examines the relationships between self-efficacy, job stress, and burnout, focusing on mediation (self-efficacy → job stress → burnout). Moreover, it questions whether such a mediation, if found, would be dependent on the levels of other variables (moderated mediation). Study I, with two samples of teachers (N= 1,203), examined this putative mechanism cross-sectionally and found such an effect, in particular for younger teachers and those with low general self-efficacy. Study II, with 458 teachers, replicated the results longitudinally over a period of one year by employing structural equation models. In a cross-lagged panel design, low self-efficacy preceded burnout. Further research should study these mechanisms by interventions that aim at strengthening teacher self-efficacy as a protective resource factor. L’auto-efficacite des enseignants est etudiee comme une ressource personnelle pouvant les proteger de l’experience de la contrainte professionnelle et rendre l’escalade dans le burnout moins probable. Cet article examine les liens entre l’auto-efficacite, le stress au travail et le burnout, en se focalisant sur la mediation (auto-efficacite→ stress au travail → burnout). En outre, il questionne la facon dont une telle mediation, si elle est averee, pourrait etre dependante du niveau des autres variables (mediation moderee). La recherche 1 comprend deux echantillons d’enseignants (N= 1,203). Elle examine ce mecanisme croise suppose et revele un tel effet, en particulier pour les enseignants les plus jeunes et ceux ayant une auto-efficacite generale basse. L’etude 2 effectuee aupres de 458 enseignants confirme ces resultats, obtenus cette fois de facon longitudinale sur une periode d’un an en employant des modeles aequation structurale. Ainsi, une auto-efficacite basse precede le burnout. Des recherches plus poussees pourraient etudier les mecanismes par lesquels des interventions renforcent ou non l’auto-efficacite des enseignants comme source de protection.

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