The Influence of Distributed Leadership on Chinese Teachers’ Job Satisfaction: The Chain Mediation of Teacher Collaboration and Teacher Self-Efficacy

The leadership structure within educational institutions has a significant bearing on teacher job satisfaction (TJS). This study employs data from the OECD's Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS 2018) specific to Shanghai to construct a structural equation model that investigates how distributed leadership (DL) impacts TJS in China. Findings reveal that DL has a markedly positive effect on the job satisfaction of teachers in China. Teacher self-efficacy (TSE) serves as an independent mediator in this relationship, while teacher collaboration (TC) does not mediate independently; nonetheless, both collaborate sequentially in a mediation pathway. These findings affirm the relevance of DL in the Chinese educational setting, offering empirical evidence to inform policymakers. Furthermore, it underscores that enhancing TC and TSE can lead to increased job satisfaction under DL. The results highlight the practical implications of this study for the advancement of educational governance and the optimization of school management models in China.