Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

As a Happy Kindergarten Teacher: The Mediating Effect of Happiness Between Role Stress and Turnover Intention

  • Regular Article
  • Published:
The Asia-Pacific Education Researcher Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Kindergarten teacher turnover is an important topic in education, especially in East Asia. Two approaches, the disease model and positive psychology perspective, are integrated to investigate kindergarten teachers’ turnover intention, and the “happy/productive teacher” hypothesis that happy teachers have lower turnover intention is tested. A comprehensive model that integrates role stress, subjective well-being (SWB), and turnover intention is proposed herein. A mail survey was conducted, consisting of 272 kindergarten teachers in Taiwan. Structural equation modeling was used for the data analysis. The “happy/productive teacher” concept was supported in that teachers’ SWB has a negative effect on turnover intention. Role stress was found to have a negative effect on SWB and a positive indirect effect on turnover intention completely mediated by SWB. In conclusion, role stress and SWB both have significant effects on turnover intention. However, SWB is a more direct and powerful antecedent than role stress. This study has important theoretical and practical implications for kindergarten teachers’ turnover intention from the positive psychology perspective, and may contribute to the positive education in Asia.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2127rank.html.

  2. http://www.coolloud.org.tw/node/84419.

  3. https://www.naer.edu.tw/ezfiles/0/1000/attach/9/pta_5274_2561844_96244.pdf.

  4. Official statistics from 2006 to 2016: https://depart.moe.edu.tw/ED4500/cp.aspx?n=C1EE66D2D9BD36A5.

References

  • Arbuckle, J. L. (2012). Amos 23.0 user’s guide. Chicago: IBM SPSS.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barak, M. E. M., Nissly, J. A., & Levin, A. (2001). Antecedents to retention and turnover among child welfare, social work, and other human service employees: What can we learn from past research? A review and metanalysis. Social Service Review, 75(4), 625–661. https://doi.org/10.1086/323166.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bedeian, A. G., & Armenakis, A. A. (1981). A path-analytic study of the consequences of role conflict and ambiguity. Academy of Management Journal, 24(2), 417–424. https://doi.org/10.2307/255852.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bolier, L., Haverman, M., Westerhof, G. J., Riper, H., Smit, F., & Bohlmeijer, E. (2013). Positive psychology interventions: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled studies. BMC Public Health, 13, 119. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-13-119.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bowling, N. A., Eschleman, K. J., & Wang, Q. (2010). A meta-analytic examination of the relationship between job satisfaction and subjective well-being. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 83, 915–934.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brunetto, Y., Teo, S. T. T., Shacklock, K., & Farr-Wharton, R. (2012). Emotional intelligence, job satisfaction, well-being and engagement: Explaining organizational commitment and turnover intentions in policing. Human Resource Management Journal, 22, 428–441.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chang, C. (2018). The revision of nurses’ indigenized well-being scale: Elaboration and re-validation (Unpublished master’s thesis). Kaohsiung Medical University, Taiwan.

  • Chen, M.-F., Lin, C.-P., & Lien, G.-Y. (2011). Modelling job stress as a mediating role in predicting turnover intention. The Service Industries Journal, 31, 1327–1345.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen, Y.-G. (2009). Public/private preschool teachers’ turnover in Taiwan: A test on correlative variables and theories. Journal of Research on Elementary and Secondary Education, 33, 53–77.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen, Y.-G., & Cheng, J.-N. (2009). A study on the kindergarten and childcare center teachers’ turnover intention in Taiwan: Exploring the effect of the demographics, social exchange, ethical fit, distributive justice, job loading and salary. Journal of National Pingtung University of Education, 32, 1–34.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cheung, G. W., & Lau, R. S. (2008). Testing mediation and suppression effects of latent variables: Bootstrapping with structural equation models. Organizational Research Methods, 11, 296–325.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chien, C.-L., Li, M.-C., & Huang, L.-L. (2009). Multiple ways to subjective well-being: The divergence and convergence of double self-construals in Taiwan. Chinese Journal of Psychology, 54(1), 453–470. https://doi.org/10.6129/CJP.2009.5104.04.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chien, C.-L., Yu, L., Chang, C., & Jone, K.-Y. (2017). Beyond “flourishing”: The development and validation of the nurses’ indigenized well-being scale in Taiwan. Journal of Education and Psychology, 40, 93–125.

    Google Scholar 

  • Conley, S., & You, S. (2009). Teacher role stress, satisfaction, commitment, and intentions to leave: A structural model. Psychological Reports, 105, 771–786.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Conley, S., & You, S. (2014). Role stress revisited: Job structuring antecedents, work outcomes, and moderating effects of locus of control. Educational management Administration and Leadership, 42(2), 184–206.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cropanzano, R., & Wright, T. A. (2001). When a “happy” worker is really a “productive” worker: A review and further refinement of the happy-productive worker thesis. Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research, 53(3), 182–199. https://doi.org/10.1037//1061-4087.53.3.182.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Danna, K., & Griffin, R. W. (1999). Health and well-being in the workplace: A review and synthesis of the literature. Journal of Management, 25(3), 357–384. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0149-2063(99)00006-9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diener, E. (1984). Subjective well-being. Psychological Bulletin, 95, 542–575. https://doi.org/10.1037//0033-2909.95.3.542.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diener, E., Emmons, R. A., Larsen, R. J., & Griffin, S. (1985). The satisfaction with life scale. Journal of Personality Assessment, 49, 71–75. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327752jpa4901_13.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diener, E., Smith, H., & Fujita, F. (1995). The personality structure of affect. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 69, 130–141. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.69.1.130.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diener, E., Suh, E. M., Lucas, R. E., & Smith, H. L. (1999). Subjective well-being: Three decades of progress. Psychological Bulletin, 125(2), 276–302. https://doi.org/10.1037//0033-2909.125.2.276.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dijkhuizen, J., Gorgievski, M., Van Veldhoven, M., & Schalk, R. (2017). Well-being, personal success and business performance among entrepreneurs: A two-wave study. Journal of Happiness Studies, 18(5), 1377–1401.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Duckworth, A. L., Quinn, P. D., & Seligman, M. E. P. (2009). Positive predictors of teacher effectiveness. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 4, 540–547.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Firth, L., Mellor, D. J., Moore, K. A., & Loquet, C. (2004). How can managers reduce employee intention to quit? Journal of Managerial Psychology, 19, 170–187.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fogarty, T. J., Singh, J., Rhoads, G. K., & Moore, R. K. (2000). Antecedents and consequences of burnout in accounting: Beyond the role stress model. Behavioral Research in Accounting, 12, 31–67.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fried, Y., Shirom, A., Gilboa, S., & Cooper, C. L. (2008). The mediating effects of job satisfaction and propensity to leave on role stress—job performance relationships: Combining meta-analysis and structural equation modeling. International Journal of Stress Management, 15, 305–328.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ganotice, F. A., Yeung, S. S., Beguina, L. A., & Villarosa, J. B. (2016). In search for H.E.R.O among Filipino teachers: The relationship of positive psychological capital and work-related outcomes. Asia-Pacific Education Researcher, 25, 407–414. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40299-015-0267-9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Garrick, A., Mak, A. S., Cathcart, S., Winwood, P. C., Bakker, A. B., & Lushington, K. (2017). Teachers’ priorities for change in Australian school to support staff well-being. Asia-Pacific Education Researcher, 26, 117–125. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40299-017-0332-7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • George, J. M., & Zhou, J. (2002). Understanding when bad moods foster creativity and good don’t: The role of context and clarity of feelings. Journal of Applied Psychology, 87, 687–697.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hair, J. F., Black, C., Babin, B. J., & Anderson, R. E. (2010). Multivariate data analysis: A global perspective (7th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hale-Jinks, C., Knopf, H., & Kemple, K. (2006). Tackling teacher turnover in child care: Understanding causes and consequences, identifying solutions. Childhood Education, 84, 219–226.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hall-Kenyon, K. M., Bollough, R. B., MacKay, K. L., & Marshall, E. E. (2014). Preschool teacher well-being: A review of the literature. Early Childhood Education Journal, 42, 153–162.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Han, S.-S., Han, J.-W., An, Y.-S., & Lim, S.-H. (2015). Effects of role stress on nurses’ turnover intentions: The mediating effects of organizational commitment and burnout. Japan Journal of Nursing Science, 12, 287–296.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harn, N. J. C. (2002). A study on the relationships among the role stress, personality traits, and job satisfaction of the teachers as student affair jobs (Master’s thesis). Retrieved from http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/cgi-bin/gs32/gsweb.cgi/ccd=aAQ8lf/record?r1=2&h1=0.

  • Harter, J. K., Schmidt, F. L., & Keyes, C. L. (2002). Well-being in the workplace and its relationships to business outcomes: A review of the Gallup studies. In C. L. Keyes & J. Haidt (Eds.), Flourishing: The positive person and the good life (pp. 205–224). Washington DC: American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/10594-009.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Holtom, B. C., Mitchell, T. R., Lee, T. W., & Eberly, M. B. (2008). Turnover and retention research: A glance at the past, a closer review of the present, and a venture into the future. The Academy of Management Annals, 2(1), 231–274. https://doi.org/10.1080/19416520802211552.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Howes, C., & Hamilton, C. (1993). The changing experience of child care: Changes in teachers and in teacher child relationships and in children’s social competence with peers. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 8, 15–32.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • International Labour Organization (2012). Right beginning: Early childhood education and educators. Geneva: The Author. Retrieved from, http://www.fruehe-chancen.de/fileadmin/PDF/Archiv/ilo_2012_right_beginnings_ecec.pdf.

  • Ivancevich, J. M., & Matteson, M. T. (1980). Stress and work: A managerial perspective. Glenview, IL: Scott Foresman.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kim, A., & Mor Barak, M. E. (2015). The mediating roles of leader-member exchange and perceived organizational support in the role stress-turnover intention relationship among child welfare workers: A longitudinal analysis. Children and Youth Services Reviews, 52, 135–143.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kim, H., & Stoner, M. (2008). Burnout and turnover intention among social workers: Effects of role stress job, job autonomy and social support. Administration in Social Work, 32(3), 5–25. https://doi.org/10.1080/03643100801922357.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • King, R. B., Caleon, I. S., Tan, J. P.-L., & Ye, S. (2016). Positive education in Asia. Asia-Pacific Education Researcher, 25, 361–365. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40299-016-0292-3.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li, H. (2014). Compensation of Chinese early childhood teachers: A preliminary study in Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Singapore, and Taipei. International Journal of Child Care and Education Policy. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40723-014-0002-7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lin, F.-C. (2009). A study on job stress and turnover intention of preschool teachers. Journal of National Pingtung University of Education, 32, 65–100.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lomas, T., & Tvtzan, I. (2016). Second wave positive psychology: Exploring the positive-negative dialectics of wellbeing. Journal of Happiness Studies, 17, 1753–1768.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lyubomirsky, S. (2007). The how of happiness: A scientific approach to getting the life you want. New York: Penguin Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lyubomirsky, S., King, L., & Diener, E. (2005a). The benefits of frequently positive affect: Does happiness lead to success? Psychological Bulletin, 131(6), 803–855. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.131.6.803.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lyubomirsky, S., Sheldon, K. M., & Schade, D. (2005b). Pursuing happiness: The architecture of sustainable change. Review of General Psychology, 9(2), 111–131. https://doi.org/10.1037/1089-2680.9.2.111.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Matsunaga, M. (2008). Item parceling in structural equation modeling: A Primer. Communication Methods and Measures, 2(4), 260–293.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Netemeyer, R. G., Johnson, M. W., & Burton, S. (1990). Analysis of role conflict and role ambiguity in a structural equation framework. Journal of Applied Psychology, 72(2), 148–157. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.75.2.148.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ngo, H., Foley, S., & Loi, R. (2005). Work role stressors and turnover intentions: A study of professional clergy in Hong Kong. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 16(11), 2133–2146. https://doi.org/10.1080/09585190500315141.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Örtqvist, D., & Wincent, J. (2006). Prominent consequences of role stress: A meta-analytic review. International Journal of Stress Management, 13(4), 399–422. https://doi.org/10.1037/1072-5245.13.4.399.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Parasuraman, S., Greenhaus, J. H., & Granrose, C. S. (1992). Role stressors, social support, and well-being among two-career couples. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 13, 339–356.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pareek, U. (1993). Organization role stress: Training instruments in HRD and OD (2nd ed.). New Delhi: Tata Mcgraw Hill.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rizzo, J. R., House, R. J., & Lirtzman, S. I. (1970). Role conflict and ambiguity in complex organizations. Administrative Science Quarterly, 15, 150–163. https://doi.org/10.2307/2391486.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Seligman, M. E. P., & Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2000). Positive psychology: An introduction. American Psychologist, 55, 5–14.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stiglbauer, B., Selenko, E., Batinic, B., & Jodlbauer, S. (2012). On the link between job insecurity and turnover intentions: Moderated mediation by work involvement and well-being. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 17(3), 354–364. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0028565.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Taur, W.-J. (1998). A study on the turnover intention and the related factors of rural elementary school teachers in Hualien (Unpublished master’s thesis). National Hualien Teachers College, Taiwan.

  • Vandenberghe, C., Panaccio, A., Bentein, K., Mignonac, K., & Roussel, P. (2011). Assessing longitudinal change of and dynamic relationships among role stressors, job attitudes, turnover intention, and well-being in neophyte newcomers. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 32, 652–671.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wright, T. A., & Bonett, D. G. (2007). Job satisfaction and psychological well-being as nonadditive predictors of workplace turnover. Journal of Management, 33(2), 141–160. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206306297582.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wright, T. A., & Cropanzano, R. (2000). The role of organizational behavior in occupational health psychology: A view as we approach the millennium. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 5, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1037//1076-8998.5.1.5.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wright, T. A., & Cropanzano, R. (2007). The happy/productive worker thesis revisited. Research in Personnel and Human Resources Management, 26, 269–307.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wu, Y.-L. (2011). Taiwanese preschool teacher education students’ attribution for studying, occupational knowledge, and initial teaching commitment. World Journal of Education, 1(1), 15–27.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Yilan-Datong Elementary School, Yilan, Taiwan

    Chao-Chun Yang

  2. Department of Educational Administration and Management, National Dong Hwa University, Hualien, Taiwan

    Chao-Chun Yang & Chih-Wen Fan

  3. Research Center for Testing and Assessment, National Academy for Educational Research, New Taipei City, Taiwan

    Kuan-Ming Chen

  4. Department of Psychology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

    Shih-Chi Hsu & Chin-Lung Chien

  5. Positive Psychology Center, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

    Shih-Chi Hsu & Chin-Lung Chien

Authors
  1. Chao-Chun Yang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Chih-Wen Fan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Kuan-Ming Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Shih-Chi Hsu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Chin-Lung Chien
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Chin-Lung Chien.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Yang, CC., Fan, CW., Chen, KM. et al. As a Happy Kindergarten Teacher: The Mediating Effect of Happiness Between Role Stress and Turnover Intention. Asia-Pacific Edu Res 27, 431–440 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40299-018-0403-4

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40299-018-0403-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation