Spiral effects of teachers’ emotions and emotion regulation strategies: Evidence from a daily diary study

Abstract

Based on the "broaden and build" theory of positive emotions, we explored daily dynamics of teachers’ emotions and their regulation, expecting positive emotions to promote teachers' use of adaptive emotion regulation strategies, and trigger upward spirals leading to further use of these strategies and increased teacher well-being. Negative emotions were expected to have opposite effects. Sixty-two teachers completed daily measures of emotions, emotion regulation, burnout, and job satisfaction during 10 workdays. Results supported direct and cyclic effects of surface acting, indicated positive effects of deep acting, and suggested that emotion regulation strategies underlie effects of emotions on satisfaction and burnout.