Teacher Resilience as a Protective Shield: Examining the Mediating Role of Psychological Capital in the Burnout-Commitment Nexus Among Iranian EFL Educators

محورهای موضوعی : Teaching

Samira Hamzehvand ¹ , Sorayya Behroozizad ² , Mahdi Hasanpour Ghaleh ³

1 - Department of English, Mar.C., Islamic Azad University, Maragheh, Iran
2 - Department of English, Mar.C., Islamic Azad University, Maragheh, Iran
3 - Department of English Language and Literature, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran

تاریخ دریافت : 1404/08/12 تاریخ پذیرش : 1404/11/24 تاریخ انتشار : 1404/12/02

کلید واژه: Burnout, Educational context, EFL teachers, Psychological capital, Professional commitment, Resource conservation, Teacher resilience,

چکیده مقاله :

This mixed-methods study investigates the complex interplay between burnout, professional commitment, and psychological capital among Iranian EFL teachers across diverse educational contexts. While existing research has established a negative correlation between burnout and commitment, limited attention has been paid to the protective psychological resources that may buffer this relationship. Drawing on Conservation of Resources Theory [1] and the Job Demands-Resources Model [2], this research examines teacher resilience, self-efficacy, optimism, and hope as components of psychological capital that potentially mediate the burnout-commitment dynamic. A sample of 240 EFL teachers from schools, universities, and private language institutes in northwestern Iran completed standardized measures of burnout (MBI-ES), professional commitment, and the Psychological Capital Questionnaire for Teachers (PCQ-T). Additionally, 24 teachers participated in semi-structured interviews exploring their resilience-building practices. Quantitative results revealed that psychological capital significantly mediated the relationship between emotional exhaustion and professional commitment (β = -0.38, p < 0.001), with resilience emerging as the strongest protective factor. Contextual variations were observed: university teachers demonstrated higher psychological capital levels (M = 4.37, SD = 0.52) compared to institute teachers (M = 3.62, SD = 0.68). Qualitative findings illuminated context-specific resilience strategies: school teachers relied on collective efficacy and peer solidarity; university educators leveraged intellectual autonomy and research engagement; while institute teachers developed adaptive flexibility and entrepreneurial mindsets. Crucially, adequate compensation emerged as a foundational resource enabling psychological capital development across contexts. These findings extend current understanding by positioning psychological capital not merely as an individual trait but as a contextually embedded resource shaped by institutional structures

چکیده انگلیسی:

This mixed-methods study investigates the complex interplay between burnout, professional commitment, and psychological capital among Iranian EFL teachers across diverse educational contexts. While existing research has established a negative correlation between burnout and commitment, limited attention has been paid to the protective psychological resources that may buffer this relationship. Drawing on Conservation of Resources Theory [1] and the Job Demands-Resources Model [2], this research examines teacher resilience, self-efficacy, optimism, and hope as components of psychological capital that potentially mediate the burnout-commitment dynamic. A sample of 240 EFL teachers from schools, universities, and private language institutes in northwestern Iran completed standardized measures of burnout (MBI-ES), professional commitment, and the Psychological Capital Questionnaire for Teachers (PCQ-T). Additionally, 24 teachers participated in semi-structured interviews exploring their resilience-building practices. Quantitative results revealed that psychological capital significantly mediated the relationship between emotional exhaustion and professional commitment (β = -0.38, p < 0.001), with resilience emerging as the strongest protective factor. Contextual variations were observed: university teachers demonstrated higher psychological capital levels (M = 4.37, SD = 0.52) compared to institute teachers (M = 3.62, SD = 0.68). Qualitative findings illuminated context-specific resilience strategies: school teachers relied on collective efficacy and peer solidarity; university educators leveraged intellectual autonomy and research engagement; while institute teachers developed adaptive flexibility and entrepreneurial mindsets. Crucially, adequate compensation emerged as a foundational resource enabling psychological capital development across contexts. These findings extend current understanding by positioning psychological capital not merely as an individual trait but as a contextually embedded resource shaped by institutional structures

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