Investigating the Impact of Teachers' Socio-Emotional Competence on Their Job Burnout with the Mediating Role of the Teacher–Student Relationship and Teacher Well-being

Abstract

Purpose: The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of teachers’ socio-emotional competence on job burnout, with the mediating roles of the teacher–student relationship and teacher well-being. Methods and Materials: This applied study employed a descriptive-survey design and was conducted among teachers in Larestan County, Iran. A sample of 129 teachers was selected using Cochran’s formula through simple random sampling. Data were collected using four standardized instruments: Maslach Burnout Inventory (2015), Boyatzis Socio-Emotional Competence Questionnaire (2007), Teacher–Student Relationship Scale by Murray and Zvoch (2010), and Ryff’s Psychological Well-being Scale (1980). The reliability of the instruments was confirmed using Cronbach’s alpha coefficients, all of which exceeded 0.70. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS and SmartPLS software, employing Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to test both direct and indirect relationships among the study variables. Findings: The results showed that socio-emotional competence did not have a significant direct effect on teacher burnout (β = 0.125, t = 0.679). However, socio-emotional competence significantly predicted teacher–student relationship (β = 0.796, t = 36.934) and teacher well-being (β = 0.427, t = 8.308), both of which were found to have significant negative effects on job burnout (β = –0.181, t = 2.159; β = –0.330, t = 3.037, respectively). Mediation analysis using the Sobel test confirmed the full mediating role of both teacher–student relationship (indirect effect = –0.144, t = 2.128) and well-being (indirect effect = –0.141, t = 2.855) in the relationship between socio-emotional competence and job burnout. Conclusion: The findings highlight that while socio-emotional competence does not directly reduce teacher burnout, it indirectly exerts a significant effect through enhancing teacher–student relationships and promoting psychological well-being. Strengthening these mediating factors may serve as an effective strategy for reducing burnout among educators.