TY  - EJOU
AU  - Wang, Guangqiang 
AU  - Bai, Hui 
AU  - Wang, Shuo 
AU  - Hu, Yangbang 

TI  - Teacher autonomy and teacher job satisfaction: A chain-mediated model of self-efficacy and intrinsic motivation
T2  - Journal of Psychology in Africa

PY  - 2025
VL  - 35
IS  - 1
SN  - 1815-5626

AB  - This study aimed to explore the mediating roles of self-efficacy and intrinsic motivation on the relationship between teacher autonomy and teacher job satisfaction. Data were from the Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS 2018), with a sample of 3131 junior high school teachers (female = 2337; male = 794) from Shanghai, China. The mediating effect was analyzed using structural equation modeling. The results showed that teacher autonomy was positively associated with teacher job satisfaction, self-efficacy, and intrinsic motivation. Both self-efficacy and intrinsic motivation were associated with teacher job satisfaction. Self-efficacy was associated with teacher intrinsic motivation. Self-efficacy and intrinsic motivation not only served as independent mediators between teacher autonomy and teacher job satisfaction but also played a chain mediating role. Moreover, the separate mediating effect of self-efficacy was the most significant. Findings are consistent with the job demands-resources model by which diminished teacher autonomy would explain lower teacher job satisfaction.
KW  - teacher autonomy; self-efficacy; intrinsic motivation; teacher job satisfaction

DO  - 10.32604/jpa.2025.065785