How work-family balance facilitates teaching engagement among university teachers: A mixed-methods approach

The widespread implementation of the tenure-track system has imposed intense performance pressure on university teachers, raising general concerns about their teaching engagement. Drawing on conservation of resources theory and social cognitive theory, this study aims to investigate the relationship between work-family balance and teaching engagement among university teachers, as well as the underlying mechanisms. This study employed an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design. Survey data were collected from 928 university teachers and analyzed using structural equation modeling for mediation analysis. Subsequently, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 teachers to further elucidate the psychological processes underlying the quantitative findings. The quantitative results revealed a sequential mediation pathway, work-family balance was positively associated with professional identity, which in turn was positively associated with teaching self-efficacy. The indirect effect of work-family balance on teaching engagement through these two mediators was significant. The qualitative analysis further illuminated these mechanisms, showing that work-family balance provides foundational psychological resources that require specific transformation processes to be channeled into teaching. Specifically, professional identity fosters intrinsic motivation by redefining the meaning of teaching, while teaching self-efficacy empowers teaching innovation by enhancing perceived classroom competence. This study elucidates the mechanisms linking work-family balance to teaching engagement, and provides practical recommendations for university administrators to strengthen teaching support and enhance teaching quality.