The Effect of Instructional Leadership on Job Satisfaction and Burnout in English Lecturers: The Mediating Role of Self-Efficacy

The factors influencing job burnout and job satisfaction among general education lecturers (e.g., English lecturers) in Chinese higher education have been understudied. This research utilized a cross-sectional survey design to examine how self-efficacy mediates the relationship between instructional leadership and English lecturers’ job burnout and satisfaction. A total of 507 valid responses were collected from English lecturers in Chinese universities through an online survey. Data were analyzed using covariance-based structural equation modeling with validated scales. The results revealed that instructional leadership significantly enhanced lecturers’ self-efficacy, reduced job burnout, and improved job satisfaction. The study employed the bootstrap method to test mediation effects. The results suggested that self-efficacy partially mediates the effects of instructional leadership on job satisfaction and job burnout. Notably, the study identified self-efficacy as a critical buffer against burnout for general education faculty, who face unique challenges such as weaker professional identity and lower student engagement in compulsory courses. The study advances theoretical understanding by validating self-efficacy’s mediating role in the leadership–well-being nexus and offers practical strategies for reducing burnout in underrepresented general education contexts.