ICT engagement and technostress among Iranian EFL teachers: a person–environment fit perspective

Rapid educational digitalization may generate technostress in developing countries like Iran. This study applied the person–environment (P–E) fit framework to examine how Information and Communication Technology (ICT) engagement relates to technostress among Iranian English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers. It further examines whether gender, age, teaching experience and educational degrees are associated with variation in this relationship. The motivation for this research stems from the increasing integration of ICT in language education, which presents both opportunities for pedagogical innovation and potential sources of stress when technological demands exceed teachers’ resources or capacities. Data were collected from 193 teachers using the adapted version of the Technostress Among University Students Scale and the ICT Engagement Scale. The results of the bivariate correlation analysis indicated a slight inverse association between ICT engagement and technostress. Moderation analyses revealed no significant role for the moderator variables in question. Teacher trainers and education authorities may find these results useful. Limitations include purposive sampling, reliance on self-reports and the cross-sectional design. Future research should employ longitudinal or mixed-methods approaches and consider the organizational and cultural factors that shape the dynamics of ICT-related stress.