A Panel Network Approach to Preschool Teachers' Burnout: The Job Demands‐Resources Model Perspective

ABSTRACT Preschool teachers face significant professional challenges and exhibit higher burnout levels than other educators, negatively impacting their well‐being and educational quality. This study examines burnout determinants through an integrated Job Demands‐Resources (JD‐R) and Conservation of Resources (COR) framework, using panel network analysis of five‐wave longitudinal data from Chinese preschool teachers. We analysed dynamic interactions between burnout components (emotional exhaustion‐EE, depersonalisation, reduced accomplishment) and key factors including empathy, social skills, perceived organisational support (POS), psychological safety and interpersonal conflict. Findings identified EE as the core burnout symptom, with context‐dependent patterns: EE showed negative outgoing influence in public schools but positive influence in private schools. A counterintuitive positive EE‐POS correlation emerged in private schools' temporal networks, contrasting with prior research and cross‐sectional findings. The JD‐R model, augmented by COR theory's dynamic perspective, effectively explains preschool teachers' burnout complexity. The study highlights how organisational context shapes burnout dynamics, offering practical insights for targeted interventions. Methodologically, panel network analysis advances understanding of temporal interactions among personal and organisational factors influencing burnout progression. These findings support developing context‐specific strategies to mitigate burnout, ultimately enhancing teacher well‐being and early childhood education quality.