Fostering Teachers’ Work Engagement: The Role of Emotional Self-Efficacy Toward One’s Own Emotions, Professional Self-Efficacy, and Job Resources

The present cross-sectional study explored the synergic role of self-report measures of emotional self-efficacy toward one’s own emotions (i.e., the extent to which individuals perceive themselves as confident and effective in managing their emotions), professional self-efficacy, and job resources on work engagement among 589 in-service teachers coming from public kindergartens, elementary schools, and middle schools. A hierarchical linear regression approach including a three-way interaction analysis revealed that (a) the two forms of teachers’ self-efficacy were uniquely and positively associated with work engagement, and (b) emotional self-efficacy toward one’s own emotions was positively associated with work engagement, especially at low (vs. high) levels of both professional self-efficacy and job resources. The results were discussed framing the job demands–resources model and stressing the importance of taking care of both personal and professional teachers’ self-efficacy, especially when the school environment lacks job resources.