How emotional labor leads to turnover intention: the mediating role of job burnout and the moderating role of social support among rural physical education teachers in China
ObjectiveTo examine the mediating role of job burnout in the relationship between emotional labor strategies and turnover intention among rural physical education (PE) teachers in China, and to explore the moderating effect of social support in this mechanism.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was cond...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-06-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1596750/full |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850119853720993792 |
|---|---|
| author | Pu Sun Lifang Wang Xi Chen Mingyue Cui Ke Ma Ling Yan |
| author_facet | Pu Sun Lifang Wang Xi Chen Mingyue Cui Ke Ma Ling Yan |
| author_sort | Pu Sun |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ObjectiveTo examine the mediating role of job burnout in the relationship between emotional labor strategies and turnover intention among rural physical education (PE) teachers in China, and to explore the moderating effect of social support in this mechanism.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted among 1,761 rural PE teachers using validated self-report scales. Structural equation modeling (SEM) via AMOS 26.0 was used to test the mediating effects of job burnout, followed by moderated mediation analyses using PROCESS macro Model 7, controlling for gender, age, teaching tenure, and education level.ResultsJob burnout significantly mediated the associations between all three emotional labor strategies and turnover intention. Surface acting showed both direct and indirect effects, while deep acting and genuine expression were associated with turnover intention only through burnout. Additionally, social support moderated the relationship between surface acting and burnout, but not for the other two strategies.ConclusionEmotional labor strategies influence turnover intention both directly and indirectly through job burnout, while social support serves as a key buffering resource against the negative impact of surface acting on burnout. These findings underscore the importance of optimizing emotional labor management strategies and strengthening social support networks to enhance teacher wellbeing and promote educational equity in rural schools. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-3aaea1defae34659a0ccc73a9be52001 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj-art-3aaea1defae34659a0ccc73a9be520012025-08-20T02:35:32ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782025-06-011610.3389/fpsyg.2025.15967501596750How emotional labor leads to turnover intention: the mediating role of job burnout and the moderating role of social support among rural physical education teachers in ChinaPu Sun0Lifang Wang1Xi Chen2Mingyue Cui3Ke Ma4Ling Yan5Department of Psychology and Education, Capital University of Physical Education and Sports, Beijing, ChinaDepartment of Student Affairs, Hexi University, Zhangye, ChinaDepartment of Psychology and Education, Capital University of Physical Education and Sports, Beijing, ChinaDepartment of Psychology and Education, Capital University of Physical Education and Sports, Beijing, ChinaDepartment of Physical Education, Capital University of Physical Education and Sports, Beijing, ChinaDepartment of Psychology and Education, Capital University of Physical Education and Sports, Beijing, ChinaObjectiveTo examine the mediating role of job burnout in the relationship between emotional labor strategies and turnover intention among rural physical education (PE) teachers in China, and to explore the moderating effect of social support in this mechanism.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted among 1,761 rural PE teachers using validated self-report scales. Structural equation modeling (SEM) via AMOS 26.0 was used to test the mediating effects of job burnout, followed by moderated mediation analyses using PROCESS macro Model 7, controlling for gender, age, teaching tenure, and education level.ResultsJob burnout significantly mediated the associations between all three emotional labor strategies and turnover intention. Surface acting showed both direct and indirect effects, while deep acting and genuine expression were associated with turnover intention only through burnout. Additionally, social support moderated the relationship between surface acting and burnout, but not for the other two strategies.ConclusionEmotional labor strategies influence turnover intention both directly and indirectly through job burnout, while social support serves as a key buffering resource against the negative impact of surface acting on burnout. These findings underscore the importance of optimizing emotional labor management strategies and strengthening social support networks to enhance teacher wellbeing and promote educational equity in rural schools.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1596750/fullemotional laborjob burnoutturnover intentionsocial supportrural physical education teachers |
| spellingShingle | Pu Sun Lifang Wang Xi Chen Mingyue Cui Ke Ma Ling Yan How emotional labor leads to turnover intention: the mediating role of job burnout and the moderating role of social support among rural physical education teachers in China Frontiers in Psychology emotional labor job burnout turnover intention social support rural physical education teachers |
| title | How emotional labor leads to turnover intention: the mediating role of job burnout and the moderating role of social support among rural physical education teachers in China |
| title_full | How emotional labor leads to turnover intention: the mediating role of job burnout and the moderating role of social support among rural physical education teachers in China |
| title_fullStr | How emotional labor leads to turnover intention: the mediating role of job burnout and the moderating role of social support among rural physical education teachers in China |
| title_full_unstemmed | How emotional labor leads to turnover intention: the mediating role of job burnout and the moderating role of social support among rural physical education teachers in China |
| title_short | How emotional labor leads to turnover intention: the mediating role of job burnout and the moderating role of social support among rural physical education teachers in China |
| title_sort | how emotional labor leads to turnover intention the mediating role of job burnout and the moderating role of social support among rural physical education teachers in china |
| topic | emotional labor job burnout turnover intention social support rural physical education teachers |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1596750/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT pusun howemotionallaborleadstoturnoverintentionthemediatingroleofjobburnoutandthemoderatingroleofsocialsupportamongruralphysicaleducationteachersinchina AT lifangwang howemotionallaborleadstoturnoverintentionthemediatingroleofjobburnoutandthemoderatingroleofsocialsupportamongruralphysicaleducationteachersinchina AT xichen howemotionallaborleadstoturnoverintentionthemediatingroleofjobburnoutandthemoderatingroleofsocialsupportamongruralphysicaleducationteachersinchina AT mingyuecui howemotionallaborleadstoturnoverintentionthemediatingroleofjobburnoutandthemoderatingroleofsocialsupportamongruralphysicaleducationteachersinchina AT kema howemotionallaborleadstoturnoverintentionthemediatingroleofjobburnoutandthemoderatingroleofsocialsupportamongruralphysicaleducationteachersinchina AT lingyan howemotionallaborleadstoturnoverintentionthemediatingroleofjobburnoutandthemoderatingroleofsocialsupportamongruralphysicaleducationteachersinchina |