Abstract
Background: Teachers’ subjective well-being (SWB) has received much attention, in the light of the major increase in sick leave as well as job quitting among teachers across different cultures and countries. Studies on SWB of kindergarten teachers are still scarce, since most of the academic literature is focused on teachers of primary and secondary schools.Aims: The purpose of this study was to analyze and compare kindergarten teachers’ SWB in Hong Kong and Italy.Methods: 367 Hong Kong and 243 Italian kindergarten teachers completed a self-report questionnaire containing: the Job Satisfaction Survey (JSS), the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), and the General Health Questionnaires-12 (GHQ-12). The questionnaire collected also socio-demographics data.Results: Hierarchical regression analysis showed that country belonging plays the strongest predictive role on self-esteem and mental health. Moreover, the independent t-test showed higher levels of job satisfaction among Italian teachers, while Hong Kong teachers were more satisfied in pay and promotion, but less in supervision, operating condition, co-worker relationship, nature of work, and communication.Conclusion: Results are interpreted in the light of the differences between the two contexts considered, in terms of cultural values and educational systems.
Highlights
Teachers’ subjective well-being (SWB) has received much attention over the past decades, due to the major increase in sick leave as well as job quitting among teachers across different cultures and countries (Kyriacou and Sutcliffe, 1977; Hofstede, 1983; Kyriacou, 1987; Wong, 2010; Benevene and Fiorilli, 2015)
Two convenient samples of kindergarten teachers from Italy and Hong Kong were recruited from the metropolitan areas
Hong Kong participants were 371: 99% female; 57% married; 32% had less than 10 years of teaching experience; 73% was 30 to 49-year-old and 3% above 50; all participants had the early childhood education certificate approved by the government; 32% held a university degree
Summary
Teachers’ subjective well-being (SWB) has received much attention over the past decades, due to the major increase in sick leave as well as job quitting among teachers across different cultures and countries (Kyriacou and Sutcliffe, 1977; Hofstede, 1983; Kyriacou, 1987; Wong, 2010; Benevene and Fiorilli, 2015).Teaching-related SWB refers to personal and work-related resources as well as the absence of physical and mental impairment, which generate a healthy functioning in the work environment (Bowling et al, 2010; Diener and Tov, 2012; Fiorilli et al, 2015; Benevene et al, 2018; Diener et al, 2018). Teachers’ subjective well-being (SWB) has received much attention over the past decades, due to the major increase in sick leave as well as job quitting among teachers across different cultures and countries (Kyriacou and Sutcliffe, 1977; Hofstede, 1983; Kyriacou, 1987; Wong, 2010; Benevene and Fiorilli, 2015). Cross-National Comparison on Subjective Well-Being teachers’ SWB through its three constructs of self-esteem (self or personality disposition, affective components), job satisfaction (focal domain satisfaction, cognitive components), and mental health complaints (cognitive and affective components). Teachers’ subjective well-being (SWB) has received much attention, in the light of the major increase in sick leave as well as job quitting among teachers across different cultures and countries. Studies on SWB of kindergarten teachers are still scarce, since most of the academic literature is focused on teachers of primary and secondary schools
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