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.