Job Satisfaction and Life Satisfaction Among Preschool Teachers: The Mediating Role of Psychological Distress and the Moderating Effect of Career Stage

This study examined the relationship between job satisfaction and life satisfaction among preschool teachers, focusing on the mediating role of psychological distress and the moderating role of the career stage. Data from preschool teachers were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) with a multiple mediation framework including anxiety, depression, and stress. Job satisfaction showed a significant positive association with life satisfaction both directly and indirectly. Among the mediators, stress emerged as the only significant pathway linking job satisfaction to life satisfaction, whereas anxiety and depression did not independently predict life satisfaction when modeled simultaneously. The model explained 35% of the variance in life satisfaction. Multi-group analyses further revealed that these relationships differed across career stages: the direct effect of job satisfaction on life satisfaction was strongest among early-career teachers, while emotional factors became more salient in later career stages. These findings suggest that occupational satisfaction influences overall well-being through both direct evaluative mechanisms and stress-related pathways, and that these processes evolve across professional development. The study highlights the importance of reducing workplace stress and supporting teachers’ psychological health to enhance both professional functioning and life satisfaction.