Structure of Junior Faculty Members' Concerns and Their Job Satisfaction

Abstract

The purposes of the present research were to examine the structure of the concerns of junior faculty members at universities, and to analyze the relationship of their concerns, social supports, and job satisfaction. To measure their concerns, a scale of educational concerns of junior faculty members was prepared. Using this scale, the interactions among their concerns, social supports, and feelings of satisfaction toward their job were analyzed. Factor analysis of the scale resulted in the extraction of 3 factors: “concerns about teaching abilities,”“concerns about students,” and “concerns about organization and logistics.” Support from senior faculty member increased the satisfaction of the junior members of the faculty who had a high level of educational concerns. In addition, lack of support from colleagues decreased the satisfaction of those junior members of the faculty who had a high level of concern about organization and logistics. These results suggest that supports in the workplace are especially important in increasing feelings of job satisfaction of those junior faculty members who have a high level of concern.