Factors Facilitating Work Engagement among Elementary School Teachers and Its Impact on Sense of Purpose in Life

Abstract

[Purpose]

  The mental health of teachers remains in a perilous state. Despite the steady accumulation of research, facilitating positive aspects remains a challenge. This study focuses on a positive work-related concept known as “work engagement” (WE) and examines the factors associated with WE among elementary school teachers, as well as its impact on sense of purpose in life.

[Methods]

  A web survey was conducted with 280 elementary school teachers regarding six concepts: WE, collegiality, managerial support, peer support, self-efficacy, and sense of purpose in life.

[Results]

  Covariance structural analysis, of the overall process of influence among the six factors, revealed that self-efficacy has a direct positive impact on WE, while peer support indirectly exerts a positive impact through self-efficacy. As background factors, cooperative workplace culture and mental health support from management displayed a positive impact on peer support and self-efficacy. Moreover, WE had a positive impact on sense of purpose in life. Furthermore, a multiple regression analysis of the relationship between each subscale revealed that evaluative support from peers had a positive impact on all subscales of self-efficacy. The vigor and enthusiasm for WE also had a positive impact on all subscales of sense of purpose in life.

[Discussion/Conclusion]

  Improving WE among elementary school teachers requires the cultivation of a collaborative workplace culture, enhancement of mental health support from management and evaluative support from colleagues, and increasing self-efficacy. These results suggest some important guiding principles for promoting mental health policy for elementary school teachers.