Exploring the Mediating Effects of Gratitude on the Relationship Between Work-life Balance, School Support, and Life Satisfaction among Honorary Teachers

Background Life satisfaction is defined as an individual’s global evaluation of their cognitive perception of their current condition relative to their standard of living. While life satisfaction has been extensively studied among adolescents and adults, limited research has focused on life satisfaction among honorary teachers in Indonesia. Low salaries and career uncertainty raise concerns about their life satisfaction. Objective This study aims to examine the role of gratitude as a mediator in the relationship between work–life balance, school support, and life satisfaction among honorary teachers. Methods This quantitative study employed purposive sampling to recruit 284 honorary school teachers, consisting of 79% females and 20.4% males, with an average age range of 37–51 years. Data were collected using the Work–Life Balance Scale (WLB), School Support Scale (SS), Gratitude Questionnaire (GQ-6), and the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS). Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was applied for data analysis. Results The SEM analysis revealed a good model fit (df = 435, CFI = 0.957, TLI = 0.951, RMSEA = 0.043). Mediation tests indicated that gratitude significantly mediated the relationship between work–life balance and life satisfaction ( p = 0.012 < 0.05), as well as between school support and life satisfaction ( p = 0.028 < 0.05) among honorary teachers. Conclusion The findings suggest that work–life balance and school support are positive predictors of life satisfaction, with gratitude serving as a mediating factor. This study confirms the critical importance of work–life balance, school support, and gratitude in achieving life satisfaction among honorary teachers, with gratitude acting as a key mediating factor.