Open Access

ARTICLE

The Impact of Chinese Teachers’ Career Calling on Job Burnout: A Dual Path Model of Career Adaptability and Work Engagement

Huaruo Chen^1,2, Wanru Song¹, Jian Xie¹, Huadi Wang³, Feifei Zheng³, Ya Wen^4,*

1 College of Education Science and Technology, Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Nanjing, 210023, China
2 Center for Research and Reform in Education, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
3 School of Educational Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210097, China
4 School of Teacher Education, Nanjing Xiaozhuang University, Nanjing, 211171, China

* Corresponding Author: Ya Wen. Email:

International Journal of Mental Health Promotion 2025, 27(3), 379-400. https://doi.org/10.32604/ijmhp.2025.060370

Received 30 October 2024; Accepted 05 February 2025; Issue published 31 March 2025

Abstract

Objectives: Teachers are facing unprecedented new challenges leading them to face an increasing number of tasks that are not part of their job, as well as having to cope with the additional skills acquisition that comes with non-traditional forms of teaching and learning, and increased work pressure leading to an increase in the rate of teachers leaving the profession. Therefore, this study aims to explore the mechanism of the career calling on job burnout through career adaptability and work engagement. Methods: This study conducted a cross-sectional survey of 465 primary and secondary school teachers (PSST) in mainland China from the perspective of work adjustment and used structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine the mediating roles of career adaptability and work engagement in the relationship between teachers’ career calling and job burnout. Results: The results show that PSSTs are above average in career calling, career adaptability, and work engagement, while job burnout is below average. A significant positive or negative correlation exists between career calling, career adaptability, work engagement, and job burnout. The result of path analysis indicates that career adaptability and work engagement exert an indirect influence on the job burnout of PSST through three paths: namely, the independent intermediary role of career adaptability (EV = −0.144), the independent intermediary role of work engagement (EV = 0.172) and the chain intermediary role of the two (EV = 0.176). Conclusion: This study emphasizes the importance of career adaptability and work engagement in teacher development in regulating career calling and job burnout. Therefore, on the one hand, we think that if managers want to reduce teachers’ job burnout, they need to pay more attention to teachers’ career adaptability and work engagement, rather than relying solely on teachers’ career calling. On the other hand, it is to remind teachers not to rely on their adjustment to adapt to the work, but also to need outside help as much as possible.

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Keywords

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