Staff Stressors as Predictors of Teacher Efficacy among Lecturers
Keywords:
Staff stressors, teacher efficacy, lecturers, private higher education, Job Demands–Resources model, PLS-SEMAbstract
This study investigates the effect of staff stressors on teacher efficacy among lecturers in private higher education institutions in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region of China. A quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted involving 407 full-time lecturers from three private higher education institutions. Staff stressors were measured across six dimensions: recognition, perceived organizational practices, factors intrinsic to teaching, financial inadequacy, home/work interface, and new challenges, while teacher efficacy was assessed in terms of instructional strategies, classroom management, and student engagement. Data were analysed using SPSS 27.0 and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) in SmartPLS 4.0. The findings indicated that staff stressors were at a moderate level (M = 3.18, SD = .764), with new challenges recording the highest mean (M = 3.45, SD = .982). Teacher efficacy was also moderate (M = 2.83, SD = .709). More importantly, staff stressors had a significant negative effect on teacher efficacy (β = −.616, t = 18.705, p < .001), explaining 45.6% of the variance in teacher efficacy (R² = .456). The findings suggest that increasing work-related stressors can substantially weaken lecturers’ confidence in performing their teaching roles. Guided by the Job Demands–Resources model, the study highlights the importance of reducing excessive job demands and strengthening institutional support to sustain lecturers’ teaching efficacy.References
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