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A Study on the Mechanism of Spiritual Leadership on Burnout of Elementary and Secondary School Teachers: The Mediating Role of Career Calling and Emotional Intelligence

Author

Listed:
  • Jing Li

    (School of Teacher Education, Heze University, Heze 274015, China
    Faculty of Education and Liberal Studies, City University Malaysia, Petaling Jaya 46100, Malaysia)

  • Soon-Yew Ju

    (Faculty of Education and Liberal Studies, City University Malaysia, Petaling Jaya 46100, Malaysia
    Faculty of Administrative Science and Policy Studies, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Pahang Branch, Raub Campus, Raub 27600, Malaysia)

  • Lai-Kuan Kong

    (Faculty of Education and Liberal Studies, City University Malaysia, Petaling Jaya 46100, Malaysia
    Faculty of Business and Management, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Pahang Branch, Raub Campus, Raub 27600, Malaysia)

  • Nana Jiang

    (School of Teacher Education, Heze University, Heze 274015, China
    Faculty of Education and Liberal Studies, City University Malaysia, Petaling Jaya 46100, Malaysia)

Abstract

Leadership style has become an important construct in the research literature on alleviating burnout among elementary and secondary school teachers. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of spiritual leadership, career calling, and emotional intelligence on teacher burnout. Purposive sampling was utilized in this study to obtain data from 380 elementary and secondary school teachers in Heze City, Shandong Province, China. SmartPLS software was used to establish a partial least squares structural equation model to verify the research hypothesis. The results indicated that there was a significant negative direct relationship between spiritual leadership, career calling, emotional intelligence, and teacher burnout. There was a direct and significant positive relationship between spiritual leadership on career calling and emotional intelligence. In addition, spiritual leadership influenced teacher burnout through two mediating variables: career calling and emotional intelligence. The results broadened the understanding of the intrinsic relationship between spiritual leadership and teacher burnout and explained the mediating role of career calling and emotional intelligence in spiritual leadership and teacher burnout. Based on the findings, elementary and secondary school leaders should practice spiritual leadership styles to stimulate teachers’ career calling and emotional intelligence in order to reduce teacher burnout.

Suggested Citation

  • Jing Li & Soon-Yew Ju & Lai-Kuan Kong & Nana Jiang, 2023. "A Study on the Mechanism of Spiritual Leadership on Burnout of Elementary and Secondary School Teachers: The Mediating Role of Career Calling and Emotional Intelligence," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-16, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:12:p:9343-:d:1167691
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Xiuhong Xu & Yuxin Jiang & Lei Chen & Yuanyuan Chen, 2024. "The Variables Associated with Burnout Among Korean Early Childhood Teachers: A Meta-Analysis," SAGE Open, , vol. 14(3), pages 21582440241, July.

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