On the Brink of Attrition: An Analysis of the UAE PISA 2022 Teachers’ Questionnaire

Teacher attrition is a critical global challenge. As such, it is crucial to identify the key factors related to teacher attrition. In the context of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), this study examines the psychosocial, individual, and school factors associated with a teacher’s intention to leave the profession. Using a sample of UAE-based teachers from the PISA 2022 teacher questionnaire (N = 10,092), logistic regression analysis indicated that psychosocial variables – such as satisfaction, ability to concentrate in the work setting, physical health symptoms, work stress, and work overload – are the strongest predictors of the likelihood of a teacher intending to leave classroom teaching and explain over a quarter of the variance, compared to other individual and school-related factors. These results discuss how schools and policymakers can address teacher attrition through tailored initiatives to enhance teacher satisfaction and reduce work stress.