Impact of Emotional Intelligence on Burnout among Spanish Teachers: A Mediation Study

Abstract

The benefits of emotional intelligence and their alleviating impact on work-related stress among teachers have been gaining salience in this research field. The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between emotional abilities and the burnout syndrome and whether the affective balance mediates this interplay. Using a structural equation modeling framework with self-report data from 200 schoolteachers aged between 22 to 64 years (M = 44.97, SD = 9.31, 73.50% women), the study design was a cross-sectional one. Results showed significant direct and indirect effects of mood clarity and emotional repair on all four burnout dimensions, while attention did not predict teacher burntout. Positive affect mediated the relationship between emotional intelligence and enthusiasm toward the job, while negative affect mediated the association between emotional abilities and negative burnout symptoms. Our findings suggest that enhanced emotional abilities are directly associated with lower levels of work-related stress, however, negative affect restrains this positive influence.

Keywords

• emotional intelligence
• teacher burnout
• work stress
• positive and negative affect
• well-being
• structural equation modeling