How job demands and resources are associated with common mental health problems among secondary school teachers: testing the mediation roles of self-efficacy and sleep quality

Purpose The present study examined associations between job characteristics (job demands and job resources) and teachers' common mental health problems (depression and anxiety), with a focus on the mediating roles of personal resources at two levels: affective-cognitive (self-efficacy) and behavioral-practical (sleep quality). Design/methodology/approach A total of 411 secondary school teachers in Hong Kong were surveyed between January 2022 and December 2023. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test the proposed mediation model, which demonstrated a good fit to the data. Findings The results showed that job demands were positively associated with common mental health problems directly and indirectly through sleep quality, whereas job resources were negatively associated with common mental health problems directly and indirectly through both self-efficacy and sleep quality. Practical implications For practice, school administrators should place sufficient emphasis on programs that address job demands and strengthen job resources, while also supporting interventions that enhance personal resources, in order to promote teachers' mental health more effectively. Originality/value The findings from the current study support the health impairment and motivational processes proposed in the Job Demands–Resources model and highlight the distinct contributions of personal resources at both affective-cognitive and behavioral-practical levels.