Forms of social support relevant to teachers’ wellbeing: a job demands–resources perspective

Abstract The wellbeing of teachers has emerged as a significant global concern, prompting a substantial body of research examining the individual and contextual determinants of factors such as burnout and mental health. Although much research has focused on the precursors of burnout and the factors associated with attrition, comparatively less attention has been given to the role of interpersonal resources in shaping these processes. Harnessing the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) framework the present study sought to extend understanding of how three different forms of social support (teachers’ perceptions of support from colleagues, support from parents, support from supervisors) were associated with teachers’ emotional exhaustion, and in turn, two occupational outcomes: occupational commitment and turnover intentions in a study of 274 Australian primary and secondary school teachers. Of the three forms of support examined, support from supervisors appeared to be particularly useful for supporting teachers to navigate challenge. Specifically, teachers who reported more support from their supervisors also reported lower emotional exhaustion. Comparatively, support from parents appeared to play both a motivational and protective role as it was negatively associated with emotional exhaustion, but also positively associated with occupational commitment. Collectively, the findings echo those made by previous research and support the JD-R model, while demonstrating support from parents as an important job resource for teachers.