The Effect of Psychological Empowerment on Teachers’ Job Performance: The Mediating Role of Professional Identity and Psychological Well-being

This study aimed to investigate the effect of psychological empowerment on teachers’ job performance with the mediating role of professional identity and psychological well-being. This applied, descriptive-survey study was conducted among elementary school teachers in Rudsar, Iran. A total of 384 participants were selected based on Krejcie and Morgan’s table through simple random sampling. Four standardized questionnaires were used to collect data: job performance, psychological empowerment, psychological well-being, and professional identity. The validity and reliability of the instruments were confirmed using factor loadings, Cronbach’s alpha, composite reliability, and AVE. Data were analyzed using Smart PLS software and structural equation modeling (SEM) techniques. The results revealed that psychological empowerment had a significant direct effect on teachers’ job performance. Furthermore, it also influenced performance indirectly through the mediating roles of psychological well-being and professional identity. All path coefficients and t-values indicated statistically significant relationships between the independent and mediating variables, and between mediators and the dependent variable. The GOF index confirmed the acceptable overall fit of the model. Psychological empowerment significantly enhances teachers' job performance both directly and indirectly. Accordingly, educational policymakers and school administrators should foster teachers' psychological, spiritual, and professional capacities to promote higher teaching performance.