The effect of teachers' work engagement on burnout - an analysis of the mediation effect of professional identity

The development of the preschool teacher workforce serves as a critical pillar in improving the overall quality of preschool education. However, challenges such as low salaries and inadequate social welfare protections have contributed to widespread burnout among preschool teachers. Burnout is closely linked to factors such as professional identity and work engagement, both of which play a significant role in shaping teachers' well-being. To better understand the intrinsic mechanisms behind these relationships and identify strategies to reduce burnout, this study conducted a quantitative investigation. A total of 352 teachers from three preschool education groups in Henan Province were surveyed, and structural equation models were constructed using SPSS and AMOS to examine the mediation role of professional identity in the relationship between work engagement and burnout. The findings revealed two key results: (1) Work engagement was positively correlated with professional identity, professional identity was negatively correlated with burnout, and work engagement was also negatively correlated with burnout. (2) Professional identity partially mediated the relationship between work engagement and burnout. These findings provide strong evidence and valuable practical insights for developing targeted interventions to alleviate burnout among preschool teachers, emphasizing the importance of fostering both work engagement and professional identity.