Mental health in teachers: Relationships with job satisfaction, efficacy beliefs, burnout and depression

Abstract

Several studies showed that mental well-being varies based on employment status. A comprehensive assessment of well-being, covering both hedonic and eudaimonic aspects, has been considered essential to capture an individual’s positive mental health. Aims: Based on the classification proposed in the Mental Health Continuum model by Keyes (2005), aims were to estimate teachers’ prevalence of mental health, and to examine the associations between mental health and, respectively, burnout, depression, teacher self-efficacy, teacher collective efficacy and job satisfaction, taking into account the job status. 285 high school teachers completed a self-report questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive and correlational analyses. Findings showed that 38.7% of participants were flourishing, 53.2% were moderately mentally healthy, and 8.2% were languishing. The flourishing group reported lower prevalence of depression and burnout, and higher levels of job satisfaction and efficacy beliefs than the other two groups. Significant differences between the permanent and temporary teachers emerged. Interventions to improve teachers’ well-being should take into account factors as teachers’ self-efficacy, collective efficacy, as well as teachers’ perception of job satisfaction, and the adverse impact that the condition of temporary teacher could have on work.