Abstract
Teachers’ well-being and self-efficacy are two important factors linked to quality education. Recent research examining their bidirectionality has revealed inconsistent findings, while those examining the relationships among pre-service and in-service teachers are scarce. This study investigates the reciprocal relationships between teachers’ well-being and self-efficacy in a sample of Hong Kong early childhood education teachers. Participants were 155 pre-service (n = 77) and in-service (n = 78) teachers (Mage = 23.97, SD = 4.46, female = 92.9%). Participants reported their teachers’ well-being (PERMA model including positive emotion, engagement, relationship, meaning, and accomplishment) and teachers’ self-efficacy at two-time points. The results from the cross-lagged panel model revealed that teachers’ self-efficacy at baseline significantly predicted all aspects of prospective well-being except for engagement. In contrast, none of the teachers’ well-being components significantly predicted later teachers’ self-efficacy, except for accomplishment. The associations between teachers’ self-efficacy and well-being were invariant across pre-service and in-service teachers. The results underscored the importance of teachers’ self-efficacy in facilitating teachers’ well-being. The findings also highlight the utility of intervention efforts targeting teachers’ self-efficacy and well-being, especially in promoting teachers’ accomplishment, at an early stage of their careers.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Data availability
The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
References
Azar, A. (2010). In-service and pre-service secondary science teachers self-efficacy beliefs about science teaching. Educational Research and Reviews, 5(4), 172–185.
Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action: A social cognitive theory. Prentice Hall.
Bandura, A. (1993). Perceived self-efficacy in cognitive-development and functioning. Educational Psychologist, 28(2), 117–148. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15326985ep2802_3
Burić, I., Slišković, A., & Sorić, I. (2020). Teachers’ emotions and self-efficacy: A test of reciprocal relations. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 1650. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01650
Chan, D. W. (2011). Burnout and life satisfaction: Does gratitude intervention make a difference among Chinese school teachers in Hong Kong? Educational Psychology, 31(7), 809–823. https://doi.org/10.1080/01443410.2011.608525
Cohen, J. (2013). Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences (2nd ed.). Routledge.
Datu, J. A. D., Lee, A. S. Y., Fung, W. K., Cheung, R. Y. M., & Chung, K. K. H. (2022). Prospering in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic: The effects of PROSPER-based intervention on psychological outcomes among preschool teachers. Journal of School Psychology, 94, 66–82. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsp.2022.08.003
Datu, J. A. D., Lee, A. S. Y., & Chung, K. K. H. (2023). Leveraging technology for pre-service teachers’ well-being: The effectiveness of a multicomponent positive psychology intervention in pre-service preschool teachers in Hong Kong. Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being. https://doi.org/10.1111/aphw.12446
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
Enders, C. K., & Bandalos, D. L. (2001). The relative performance of full information maximum likelihood estimation for missing data in structural equation models. Structural Equation Modeling, 8(3), 430–457. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15328007sem0803_5
Fan, J., & Wang, Y. (2022). English as a foreign language teachers’ professional success in the Chinese context: The effects of well-being and emotion regulation. Frontiers in Psychology. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.952503
Gradišek, P. (2012). Character strengths and life satisfaction of slovenian in-service and pre-service teachers. Center for Educational Policy Studies Journal, 2(3), 167–180.
Grant, A. A., Jeon, L., & Buettner, C. K. (2019). Relating early childhood teachers’ working conditions and well-being to their turnover intentions. Educational Psychology, 39(3), 294–312. https://doi.org/10.1080/01443410.2018.1543856
Granziera, H., & Perera, H. N. (2019). Relations among teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs, engagement, and work satisfaction: A social cognitive view. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 58, 75–84. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cedpsych.2019.02.003
Gröschner, A., Schindler, A.-K., Holzberger, D., Alles, M., & Seidel, T. (2018). How systematic video reflection in teacher professional development regarding classroom discourse contributes to teacher and student self-efficacy. International Journal of Educational Research, 90, 223–233. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijer.2018.02.003
Gustavson, K., von Soest, T., Karevold, E., & Røysamb, E. (2012). Attrition and generalizability in longitudinal studies: Findings from a 15-year population-based study and a Monte Carlo simulation study. BMC Public Health. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-12-918
Hu, L. T., & Bentler, P. M. (1999). Cutoff criteria for fit indexes in covariance structure analysis: Conventional criteria versus new alternatives. Structural Equation Modeling: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 6(1), 1–55. https://doi.org/10.1080/10705519909540118
Iancu, A. E., Rusu, A., Măroiu, C., Păcurar, R., & Maricuțoiu, L. P. (2018). The effectiveness of interventions aimed at reducing teacher burnout: A meta-analysis. Educational Psychology Review, 30(2), 373–396. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-017-9420-8
Lee, A. S. Y., Datu, J. A. D., Chan, D. K. C., Lau, E. Y. H., Fung, W. K., Cheng, R.W.-Y., Cheung, R. Y. M., & Chung, K. K. H. (2023). The effects of a PROSPER-based intervention on well-being among pre-service preschool teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic: A randomized control trial. Educational Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1080/01443410.2023.2189649
Lee, A. S. Y., Fung, W. K., Datu, J. A. D., & Chung, K. K. H. (2022a). Well-being profiles of pre-service teachers in Hong Kong: Associations with teachers’ self-efficacy during the COVID-19 pandemic. Psychological Reports. https://doi.org/10.1177/00332941221127631
Lee, A. S. Y., Sun, Y., & Chung, K. K. H. (2022b). Linking university students’ mindfulness to positive adjustment amidst COVID-19 pandemic: A 6-month cross-lagged panel design. Mindfulness, 13(12), 3080–3090. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-022-02014-2
Little, R. J., & Rubin, D. B. (2019). Statistical analysis with missing data (3rd ed.). Wiley.
MacCallum, R. C., Browne, M. W., & Sugawara, H. M. (1996). Power analysis and determination of sample size for covariance structure modeling. Psychological Methods, 1(2), 130–149. https://doi.org/10.1037/1082-989X.1.2.130
Mayer, J. D., Gaschke, Y. N., Braverman, D. L., & Evans, T. W. (1992). Mood-congruent judgment is a general effect. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 63(1), 119. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.63.1.119
Morris, D. B., Usher, E. L., & Chen, J. A. (2017). Reconceptualizing the sources of teaching self-efficacy: A critical review of emerging literature. Educational Psychology Review, 29, 795–833. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-016-9378-y
Muthén, L. K., & Muthén, B. (2017). Mplus user’s guide: Statistical analysis with latent variables, user’s guide. Muthén & Muthén.
Nislin, M., & Pesonen, H. (2019). Associations of self-perceived competence, well-being and sense of belonging among pre-and in-service teachers encountering children with diverse needs. European Journal of Special Needs Education, 34(4), 424–440. https://doi.org/10.1080/08856257.2018.1533093
Noble, T., & McGrath, H. (2015). PROSPER: A new framework for positive education. Psychology of Well-being. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13612-015-0030-2
Poghosyan, L., Aiken, L. H., & Sloane, D. M. (2009). Factor structure of the Maslach burnout inventory: An analysis of data from large scale cross-sectional surveys of nurses from eight countries. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 46(7), 894–902. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2009.03.004
Pressley, T., & Ha, C. (2021). Teaching during a pandemic: United States teachers’ self-efficacy during COVID-19. Teaching and Teacher Education, 106, 103465. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2021.103465
Rutherford, T., Long, J. J., & Farkas, G. (2017). Teacher value for professional development, self-efficacy, and student outcomes within a digital mathematics intervention. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 51, 22–36. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cedpsych.2017.05.005
Ryff, C. D. (1989). Happiness is everything, or is it? Explorations on the meaning of psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 57(6), 1069–1081. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.57.6.1069
Schaufeli, W. B., Bakker, A. B., & Salanova, M. (2006). The measurement of work engagement with a short questionnaire: A cross-national study. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 66(4), 701–716. https://doi.org/10.1177/0013164405282471
Schenker, N., & Gentleman, J. F. (2001). On judging the significance of differences by examining the overlap between confidence intervals. The American Statistician, 55(3), 182–186. https://doi.org/10.1198/000313001317097960
Schutte, N. S. (2014). The broaden and build process: Positive affect, ratio of positive to negative affect and general self-efficacy. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 9(1), 66–74. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2013.841280
Seligman, M. (2011). Flourish: A new understanding of happiness, well-being-and how to achieve them. Nicholas Brealey Pub.
Seligman, M. (2018). PERMA and the building blocks of well-being. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 13(4), 333–335. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2018.1437466
Seo, S., & Moon, H. (2013). A comparative study of teaching efficacy in pre-service and in-service teachers in Korean early childhood education and care (ECEC). Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, 41(4), 363–376. https://doi.org/10.1080/1359866x.2013.787394
Shah, M. (2011). The dimensionality of teacher collegiality and the development of teacher collegiality scale. International Journal of Education, 3(2), Article E10. https://doi.org/10.5296/ije.v3i2.958
Shin, T., Davison, M. L., & Long, J. D. (2017). Maximum likelihood versus multiple imputation for missing data in small longitudinal samples with nonnormality. Psychological Methods, 22(3), 426–449. https://doi.org/10.1037/met0000094
Simbula, S., Guglielmi, D., & Schaufeli, W. B. (2011). A three-wave study of job resources, self-efficacy, and work engagement among Italian schoolteachers. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 20(3), 285–304. https://doi.org/10.1080/13594320903513916
Spilt, J. L., Koomen, H. M., & Thijs, J. T. (2011). Teacher wellbeing: The importance of teacher–student relationships. Educational Psychology Review, 23(4), 457–477. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-011-9170-y
Steger, M. F., Frazier, P., Oishi, S., & Kaler, M. (2006). The meaning in life questionnaire: Assessing the presence of and search for meaning in life. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 53(1), 80–93. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0167.53.1.80
Sutton, R. E., Mudrey-Camino, R., & Knight, C. C. (2009). Teachers’ emotion regulation and classroom management. Theory into Practice, 48(2), 130–137. https://doi.org/10.1080/00405840902776418
Thelwell, R. C., Lane, A. M., & Weston, N. J. (2007). Mood states, self-set goals, self-efficacy and performance in academic examinations. Personality and Individual Differences, 42(3), 573–583. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2006.07.024
Tschannen-Moran, M., & Hoy, A. W. (2001). Teacher efficacy: Capturing an elusive construct. Teaching and Teacher Education, 17(7), 783–805. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0742-051x(01)00036-1
Wang, Y., Derakhshan, A., & Zhang, L. J. (2021). Researching and practicing positive psychology in second/foreign language learning and teaching: The past, current status and future directions. Frontiers in Psychology. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.731721
Watson, D., Clark, L. A., & Tellegen, A. (1988). Development and validation of brief measures of positive and negative affect: The PANAS scales. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 54(6), 1063–1070. https://doi.org/10.1037//0022-3514.54.6.1063
Zee, M., & Koomen, H. M. (2016). Teacher self-efficacy and its effects on classroom processes, student academic adjustment, and teacher well-being: A synthesis of 40 years of research. Review of Educational Research, 86(4), 981–1015. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654315626801
Zeng, G., Chen, X., Cheung, H. Y., & Peng, K. (2019). Teachers’ growth mindset and work engagement in the Chinese educational context: Well-being and perseverance of effort as mediators. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 839. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00839
Acknowledgements
The work is supported by the Faculty of Education and Human Development, The Education University of Hong Kong under the Strategic Area 7: Positive Education in Early Childhood Grant [1-F241-S9-02337] awarded to Kevin Kien Hoa Chung, Department of Early Childhood Education, The Education University of Hong Kong. Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Wing Kai Fung, Early Childhood, School of Education, Liverpool Hope University, UK. Email: fungw@hope.ac.uk. The submitting author of this article is Alfred S. Y. Lee, Centre for Child and Family Science, The Education University of Hong Kong. Email: alfredlee@eduhk.hk.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Competing interests
The authors report there are no competing interests to declare.
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Appendix
Appendix
See Table 3.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Lee, A.S.Y., Fung, W.K. & Chung, K.K.H. Reciprocal Relationships Between Early Childhood Education Teachers’ Well-Being and Self-efficacy: A Cross-Lagged Panel Design. Asia-Pacific Edu Res 33, 603–614 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40299-023-00756-8
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40299-023-00756-8