Teacher wellbeing in rural, regional, and metropolitan schools: Examining resources and demands across locations

Abstract

Teachers’ work conditions impact their wellbeing. However, it is currently not well-known what role school location plays in these associations. The current study used a multigroup structural equation model to identify similarities and differences in the associations between job demands/resources, self-efficacy, and teacher wellbeing in rural, regional, and metropolitan locations in Australia. Workload and student behavior stress (negatively) and teacher collaboration (positively) were predictive of teacher wellbeing in all locations. In contrast, professional development irrelevance had unique associations with wellbeing for rural teachers. The findings suggest the importance of considering what demands/resources are most salient for teachers in specific contexts.