Authentic Leadership, Empowerment, Psychological Capital and Passion in Teaching: A Structural Equation Model on Self-Efficacy among Public School Teachers

The objective of the study was to determine the structural model that best explained self-efficacy among public elementary teachers in Region XI of the Philippines. A quantitative, non-experimental research method was adopted in the study, and a stratified random sample of 454 was drawn from ten school divisions. Data were collected using modified questionnaires and analyzed using structural equation modeling, descriptive statistics, and Pearson correlation analysis. The results indicated very high levels of authentic leadership, empowerment, psychological capital, passion for teaching, and self-efficacy, with self-efficacy showing a statistically significant positive correlation with all independent variables used in the study. Model 3 was determined to be the best among the models examined in the study, as it indicated a strong direct link between the independent variables and teachers' self-efficacy. The amended structural model contained the following variables: relational transparency and self-awareness for authentic leadership; trust and professional development for empowerment; work self-efficacy and resilience for psychological capital; harmonious passion and obsessive passion for teaching; and self-efficacy in instructional strategies, student engagement, and class management for self-efficacy. In general, this study highlighted these constructs as important factors affecting teachers' well-being and proposed a model that provides empirical evidence for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 3, 4, and 8.