In an era where the educational landscape is continually evolving, understanding the factors that influence a teacher’s ability to perform effectively is paramount. Recent research conducted in the Czech Republic sheds new light on the complex interplay between burnout, self-rated health, teacher self-efficacy, and perceived teacher work ability (PTWA). This comprehensive longitudinal study, grounded in robust psychometric analyses and methodical validation procedures, offers crucial insights that could reshape how educational systems support their teaching staff amid rising professional demands.
The study focused on a sizable sample of primary and lower secondary school teachers from two distinct regions in the Czech Republic, capturing the realities faced by educators in a real-world setting. With data collected in two waves over the course of a full year, the research design allowed for a temporal understanding of how psychological and health-related factors influence teachers’ perceived capacities. The first round of data gathering occurred during the fall of 2023, purposely timed to capture educators after their summer break but before the accumulation of fatigue commonly reported later in the academic year. A follow-up collection in late 2024 provided a critical longitudinal perspective that most cross-sectional studies lack.
At the heart of the study lies the Teacher Work Ability Scale (TWAS), a rigorously constructed instrument tailored to capture both the physical and mental dimensions of teachers’ capacity to meet job demands. This 21-item tool assesses five core facets of teaching workability: instructional management, teaching organization, teacher-staff interaction, navigating difficult situations, and non-teaching responsibilities. Such a multifaceted approach reflects the diverse challenges educators face, emphasizing not only classroom activities but also the less visible interactions and duties that shape their overall performance.
The psychometric properties of the TWAS were extensively validated through a second-order confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), revealing a stable and robust five-factor structure. Reliability indices, as evidenced by Cronbach’s alpha values reaching up to 0.96, confirm the internal consistency of the scale across both measurement points. This precision in measurement allows for nuanced interpretations of how different aspects of teacher work ability evolve and correlate with psychological states.
Complementing the assessment of work ability, the study also incorporated the Shirom-Melamed Burnout Questionnaire (SMBQ), a well-established instrument for measuring the multi-dimensional facets of burnout. Distinct subscales for physical exhaustion, cognitive weariness, and emotional exhaustion enabled a differentiated examination of burnout’s impact. Intriguingly, the study confirmed the SMBQ’s applicability within the Czech cultural context through meticulous translation and validation steps, further enhancing the reliability of these findings.
Critical to the study’s conceptual framework was examining teacher self-efficacy, measured via the adapted Czech version of the Teachers’ Sense of Self-Efficacy Scale (TSES). This 12-item scale probes teachers’ confidence in instructional strategies, student engagement, and classroom management. High internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.95) and acceptable CFA fit indices attest to its utility. Incorporating self-efficacy informs understanding of how psychological resilience and belief in personal competence counterbalance burnout and influence perceived work ability.
Another noteworthy dimension explored was self-rated health, measured with straightforward items gauging perceived physical and mental well-being on a five-point scale. Though seemingly simple, these self-assessments offer valuable insights into the subjective health status that may mediate or moderate the relationships among burnout, efficacy, and work ability. Such measures, while easy to administer, provide critical contextual grounding for understanding teachers’ daily lived experiences.
The study’s methodology incorporated rigorous measures to ensure data quality and integrity. From preventing duplicate responses through personalized links and identifiers, to filtering out response patterns exhibiting high autocorrelation indicative of inattentiveness, the researchers upheld stringent standards in participant inclusion. These efforts culminated in a representative sample reflective of national demographic distributions, including an 86.1% female cohort aligning closely with the Czech teaching workforce.
Statistical analyses employed advanced mediation modeling to unravel the direct and indirect pathways linking burnout, self-rated health, self-efficacy, and perceived work ability. Given the availability of only two time points, separate models were constructed to explore the effects of mediators measured at either Time 1 or Time 2, a prudent approach acknowledging temporal limitations. Bootstrapping techniques with 5000 resamples allowed for robust estimation of confidence intervals, enriching the reliability of inferred mediation effects.
Notably, the study evaluated practical relevance through effect size metrics, utilizing Cohen’s f² for direct effects and the proportion mediated (PM) for indirect effects. Such attention to effect magnitude bridges the gap between statistical significance and real-world impact, an essential consideration for translating research findings into actionable interventions within educational systems.
The findings, though not fully enumerated here, offer compelling evidence of the multifactorial determinants of teachers’ perceived work ability. The data suggest burnout significantly negatively affects work ability, both directly and indirectly via self-rated health and self-efficacy. Conversely, higher teacher self-efficacy appears to buffer the adverse impacts of burnout, fostering resilience and sustaining work capacity. Self-rated health emerges as both an outcome of burnout and a predictor of work ability, highlighting the intertwined nature of psychological and physical well-being.
This study’s insights speak volumes about the importance of holistic support structures for teachers. Interventions targeting burnout reduction, such as workload management, psychological counseling, and early identification of exhaustion symptoms, could substantially enhance teachers’ capacity to meet their professional responsibilities. Meanwhile, fostering teacher self-efficacy through professional development, mentoring, and collaborative communities may empower educators to navigate challenges more effectively.
Furthermore, the nuanced measurement of non-teaching responsibilities within the TWAS underscores often overlooked stressors in education. Supervising students outside classroom hours, managing administrative tasks, or engaging in staff interactions all contribute to the teacher’s workload. Recognizing and mitigating these demands could alleviate burnout’s toll and promote sustainable workability.
The longitudinal design adds significant value, enabling observation of changes and stability in these relationships over time. The attrition rate, while notable at 43.6%, reflects the realities of extended data collection in school environments and does not undermine the robustness of main outcomes, thanks to rigorous data handling protocols.
Methodologically, this research exemplifies best practices in scale development, including forward-backward translation, expert review, and pilot testing for the TSES adaptation. The integration of second-order CFA in instrument validation reinforces confidence in measurement constructs, setting a high standard for subsequent research in educational psychology and occupational health.
The implications of these findings extend beyond the Czech context, offering universally relevant perspectives on teacher well-being and productivity. As educational institutions worldwide grapple with teacher shortages, increasing administrative complexities, and pandemic-related disruptions, understanding the psychological and health precursors to work ability becomes crucial.
By elucidating the mediating roles of health perceptions and self-efficacy, this study paves the way for targeted policies and practices that holistically address teacher needs. For example, embedding health promotion programs within schools and nurturing environments that bolster teacher confidence could create sustainable educational ecosystems resilient to stressors.
In conclusion, this pioneering longitudinal analysis unravels the intricate web linking burnout, health, self-efficacy, and work ability among teachers. Its meticulous approach, robust psychometric backing, and practical relevance herald a new chapter in supporting the educator workforce. As the backbone of societal development, teachers deserve environments that not only recognize but actively enhance their physical and psychological capacities, ensuring thriving classrooms and inspired future generations.
Subject of Research: Longitudinal investigation into the roles of burnout, self-rated health, and teacher self-efficacy in shaping perceived teacher work ability among Czech primary and lower secondary schoolteachers.
Article Title: The roles of burnout, self-rated health, and teacher self-efficacy in fostering perceived teacher work ability.
Article References:
Hlado, P., Juhaňák, L. & Harvankova, K. The roles of burnout, self-rated health, and teacher self-efficacy in fostering perceived teacher work ability. Humanit Soc Sci Commun 12, 1263 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-05603-3
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