Teachers in contemporary educational systems face considerable challenges, including significant work pressure, heavy workloads, and complex interpersonal dynamics in the school environment (Creagh et al., 2025; Skaalvik & Skaalvik, 2015). These factors substantially affect teachers’ job satisfaction, which has become an important concern for educational administrators. For example, teachers who face persistent heavy grading loads, inadequate administrative support, and frequent conflicts with parents often report lower job satisfaction and higher intentions to leave the profession (Skaalvik & Skaalvik, 2015). Teachers’ job satisfaction directly predicts teaching quality, student outcomes, and teacher retention rates (Klassen & Chiu, 2010). Given the critical role teachers play in shaping student development and the increasing demands placed on educators, understanding the factors that contribute to teacher job satisfaction has become a priority for educational research and policy.

 

Perceived organizational support refers to employees’ beliefs concerning the extent to which their organization values their contributions and cares about their well-being (Eisenberger et al., 1986). In educational contexts, perceived organizational support reflects teachers’ perception of the degree to which school administration recognizes their efforts and cares about their welfare (Putra et al., 2024). Research has indicated that perceived organizational support plays a critical role in shaping employee attitudes across various occupational environments (Pimenta et al., 2024). According to organizational support theory, when employees perceive high levels of organizational support, they develop a positive attitude toward the organization and feel obligated to reciprocate by increasing their efforts (Eisenberger et al., 1986). Teachers who perceive strong administrative support tend to demonstrate higher levels of professional engagement and satisfaction (Malinen & Savolainen, 2016). Previous research has documented positive correlations between perceived organizational support and job satisfaction across different contexts (Riggle et al., 2009). However, the mechanisms through which organizational support predicts teacher job satisfaction remain incompletely understood.

 

Self-esteem is defined as an individual’s overall evaluation of their own worth and capabilities, representing a fundamental aspect of psychological functioning (Rosenberg, 1965). In organizational contexts, self-esteem predicts how employees interpret workplace experiences and cope with organizational conditions (Pierce & Gardner, 2004). For teachers, self-esteem reflects their professional confidence and personal sense of competence in fulfilling educational responsibilities (Skaalvik & Skaalvik, 2010). Teachers with higher self-esteem demonstrate greater resilience when facing workplace challenges (Schwarzer & Hallum, 2008). The construct of self-esteem is particularly relevant in educational settings, where teachers frequently encounter evaluation from multiple sources, including administrators, parents, and students themselves.

 

This study was grounded in three complementary theoretical perspectives to explore the relationships among perceived organizational support, self-esteem, and job satisfaction in middle school teachers. First, social exchange theory (Rhoades & Eisenberger, 2002) posits that organizational support and employee outcomes operate through reciprocity norms, indicating that when organizations demonstrate care for employees’ well-being, employees reciprocate with a positive work attitude and higher commitment. Second, sociometer theory (Sarwar et al., 2025) proposes that self-esteem functions as a psychological gauge of social acceptance. That is, when teachers perceive their school values their contributions, they develop a more positive self-evaluation (Putra et al., 2024). Third, consistency theory (Korman, 1970) suggests that individuals with higher self-esteem tend to interpret workplace events more positively and derive greater satisfaction from their work.

 

Empirical evidence has supported the following theoretical propositions: Perceived organizational support is positively correlated with both self-esteem and job satisfaction (Riggle et al., 2009), and self-esteem consistently predicts job satisfaction across occupational groups (Bowling et al., 2010; Judge & Bono, 2001), including teachers (Caprara et al., 2006). Although previous research has examined organizational support and job satisfaction, significant gaps remain in understanding the psychological mechanisms underlying these variables within the teaching profession. Recent studies have explored related constructs: Alimbekov et al. (2025) examined self-esteem as a mediator of the link between organizational support and burnout, Li et al. (2025) investigated organizational support and job satisfaction among teachers, and Xu et al. (2025) analyzed burnout and organizational support in Chinese teachers. However, few researchers have systematically tested whether self-esteem mediates the organizational support–job satisfaction relationship specifically among middle school teachers. This population faces unique challenges including managing adolescent behavior, addressing heightened parental expectations, and navigating declining student engagement. Clarifying how organizational practices translate into improved satisfaction through psychological mechanisms could inform more effective school management interventions. We proposed the following hypotheses:

Hypothesis 1: Perceived organizational support will be positively correlated with self-esteem and job satisfaction among middle school teachers.

Hypothesis 2: Self-esteem will be positively correlated with job satisfaction among middle school teachers.

Hypothesis 3: Self-esteem will mediate the relationship between perceived organizational support and job satisfaction among middle school teachers.

Participants were 523 teachers from 15 public middle schools in Changchun, China. The sample included 198 (37.9%) men and 325 (62.1%) women, with ages ranging from 24 to 58 years (M = 38.6, SD = 8.4). Teaching experience ranged from 1 to 35 years (M = 14.2, SD = 9.1). Regarding educational attainment, 285 (54.5%) teachers held bachelor’s degrees, 172 (32.9%) held master’s degrees, four (0.8%) held doctoral degrees, and the remaining 62 (11.8%) had other educational levels. Data collection occurred during faculty meetings at each school. Teachers completed questionnaires anonymously and returned them in sealed envelopes to ensure confidentiality. Each participant received a token of appreciation (CNY 20/USD 3). All procedures were approved by the institutional review board at our institution, and participants provided informed consent before taking part in the study.

Perceived organizational support was assessed using the eight-item Survey of Perceived Organizational Support developed by Eisenberger et al. (1986). Sample items include “The school values my contribution to its well-being” and “The school cares little about me” (reverse scored). Respondents rate the items on a 7-point Likert scale ranging from 0 (strongly disagree) to 6 (strongly agree). Higher scores indicate greater perceived organizational support. The Chinese version has demonstrated good reliability and validity in previous research (Lin et al., 2006). In this study Cronbach’s alpha was .86, indicating good internal consistency reliability.

 

Self-esteem was measured using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (Rosenberg, 1965), which consists of 10 items rated on a 4-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 4 (strongly agree). Sample items include “On the whole, I am satisfied with myself” and “At times I think I am no good at all” (reverse scored). Higher scores indicate greater self-esteem. The Chinese version has shown good psychometric properties in previous studies (Cheung & Lau, 1985). In this study Cronbach’s alpha was .81, demonstrating acceptable internal consistency reliability.

 

Job satisfaction was assessed using the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (Short Form) developed by Weiss et al. (1967). This 20-item self-report measure evaluates two dimensions of job satisfaction: intrinsic (10 items, e.g., “The chance to try my own methods of doing the job”) and extrinsic (10 items, e.g., “The way company policies are put into practice”). Items are rated on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (very dissatisfied) to 5 (very satisfied). Higher scores indicate greater job satisfaction. We used the Chinese adaptation validated by Gan and Shang (2007), which has demonstrated good validity and reliability among Chinese working populations. In this study Cronbach’s alpha was .90 for the overall scale, indicating excellent internal consistency reliability.

To assess the structural relationships in the latent variable structural model, this study employed a two-step approach to analyze the mediation effect (Peng et al., 2023). First, we tested the measurement model to assess the extent to which each of the three latent variables was represented by its indicators. After a confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the measurement model was acceptable, we tested the structural model using maximum likelihood estimation in the Amos 17.0 program.

 

To control for measurement error inflation resulting from latent variables assessed with multiple items and to improve the reliability and normality of the resulting measures, we created two item parcels for perceived organizational support and self-esteem using the factorial algorithm proposed by Rogers and Schmitt (2004). We conducted a factor analysis of the items in each variable, then arranged the factor loadings in descending order, and finally assigned all items to three parcels in sequence according to their factor loadings. This method ensures the factor loadings in each parcel are nearly equal. The value of the item parcel served as an indicator or observed variable, that is, the average score of several conceptually similar items. We used the following indicators to assess model fit: χ²/df, standardized root-mean-square residual (SRMR), root-mean-square error of approximation (RMSEA), and comparative fit index (CFI). A model was considered to offer a good fit to the data if all path coefficients were significant at the .05 level, SRMR was below .08, RMSEA was below .08, and CFI was equal to or greater than .95 (Hu & Bentler, 1999).

Table 1 presents the means, standard deviations, and intercorrelations of the study variables. Correlation analysis revealed significant positive relationships among all variables. Thus, Hypotheses 1 and 2 were supported.

The measurement model included three latent constructs (perceived organizational support, self-esteem, and job satisfaction) and six observed variables (two item parcels for perceived organizational support, two item parcels for self-esteem, and the individual variables of intrinsic job satisfaction and extrinsic job satisfaction). The initial test of the measurement model showed a very satisfactory fit to the data, χ²/df = 2.04, RMSEA = .04, SRMR = .03, CFI = .99. All indicator factor loadings on the latent variables were significant (p < .01), indicating that all latent constructs were well represented by their indicators.

First, we tested the direct effect of the predictor variable (perceived organizational support) on the dependent variable (job satisfaction). Results showed the direct standardized path coefficient was significant (β = 0.49, p < .01). Then, we tested the partial mediation structural model that included the mediating variable and the direct path from perceived organizational support to job satisfaction. This model showed a good fit to the data, χ²/df = 1.88, RMSEA = .03, SRMR = .04, CFI = .99. The standardized path coefficients from perceived organizational support to job satisfaction, from self-esteem to job satisfaction, and from perceived organizational support to self-esteem were all significant, as shown in Figure 1.

We conducted a bootstrapping analysis (1,500 resamples) using Amos to test the significance of the proposed mediating effect. The result showed that the indirect effect of perceived organizational support on job satisfaction through self-esteem was significant, 95% confidence interval [0.14, 0.28], and accounted for 42.86% of the total variance. Thus, Hypothesis 3 was supported.

This study systematically examined the relationship between perceived organizational support and job satisfaction in middle school teachers, with a particular focus on the mediating mechanism of self-esteem. The findings revealed that organizational support not only directly predicted teachers’ job satisfaction but also indirectly predicted it by being associated with higher self-esteem. These findings provide new perspectives for understanding the formation mechanisms of teachers’ job satisfaction and offer theoretical foundations for school management practices.

 

This study found a significant positive correlation between perceived organizational support and job satisfaction, which is highly consistent with the core propositions of organizational support theory (Eisenberger et al., 1986). When teachers perceive that their school values their contributions and cares about their well-being, they experience higher job satisfaction. This finding aligns with the meta-analysis results of Riggle et al. (2009), who synthesized 20 years of research data and confirmed the stable relationship between organizational support and job satisfaction. Collectivistic cultures emphasize relationships with organizations and organizational recognition (Kristof-Brown et al., 2023). Chinese teachers may be especially sensitive to school support because it represents not only material resources but also social status and professional identity. This relationship can be explained through social exchange theory and the norm of reciprocity (Nasrolahi Vosta & Jalilvand, 2023). Supported teachers feel obligated to reciprocate with positive work attitudes and higher work engagement. This reciprocal process creates a positive cycle whereby organizational support is associated with teachers’ positive responses, which, in turn, may elicit more organizational support.

 

The results showed a significant positive correlation between perceived organizational support and self-esteem. This finding supports sociometer theory (Sarwar et al., 2025), which posits that self-esteem serves as an internal gauge of social acceptance and fluctuates according to individuals’ perceived level of social acceptance, and is consistent with Pierce and Gardner’s (2004) research on organization-based self-esteem. Meanwhile, the strong correlation we found between self-esteem and job satisfaction is highly consistent with Judge and Bono’s (2001) meta-analytical findings, which showed a strong correlation between core self-evaluations (including self-esteem) and job satisfaction (average r = .49). Teachers must possess strong psychological resources to cope with daily challenges, including student behavior management, parent communication, and continuous performance evaluation. Teachers with higher self-esteem may be better able to frame these challenges as growth opportunities rather than threats, thereby deriving greater satisfaction from their work. This relationship can be explained through consistency theory (Korman, 1970), such that individuals with higher self-esteem tend to seek and create work experiences that are consistent with their positive self-image, focus on positive aspects of their work, cope more effectively with difficulties, and derive greater satisfaction from achievements. Caprara et al. (2006) supported this explanation, finding that teachers’ self-efficacy (closely related to self-esteem) significantly predicts their job satisfaction and teaching effectiveness.

 

The primary finding of this study is that self-esteem served as a partial mediator between perceived organizational support and job satisfaction. This reveals an important psychological mechanism through which organizational support can predict job satisfaction. The partial mediation result indicates the existence of dual pathways: Organizational support predicts satisfaction both directly by improving working conditions and providing resources (direct effect), and indirectly by being associated with teachers’ positive self-evaluation (indirect effect). This finding enriches organizational support theory (Eisenberger et al., 1986; Rhoades & Eisenberger, 2002), suggesting that the benefits of organizational support lie not only in its direct material and emotional value but also in its nurturing effect on individual psychological resources.

 

Notably, the 40% proportion of mediation effect found in this study is higher than in some studies conducted in other occupational contexts. For example, among service industry employees, similar mediation effects have typically accounted for 20–30% of the total effect (Caesens & Stinglhamber, 2014; Kurtessis et al., 2017). This difference may reflect the characteristics of the teaching profession: Teaching outcomes are difficult to quantify, and professional value depends more on internal self-evaluation rather than external objective standards. Therefore, the impact of organizational support on self-esteem may be particularly important in the teacher population. From a theoretical integration perspective, the findings of this study connect organizational support theory, sociometer theory, and self-consistency theory, demonstrating how these theories jointly explain teachers’ job satisfaction. Organizational support (organizational level) predicted job satisfaction (attitudinal level) through self-esteem (individual level), reflecting a cross-level mechanism.

First, schools should create supportive environments that demonstrate genuine care for teacher well-being through providing adequate teaching resources and professional development opportunities, implementing fair evaluation systems, and establishing effective channels for teacher input in decision-making processes. Second, given the significant mediating role of self-esteem, schools can implement interventions specifically designed to enhance teacher self-esteem by offering opportunities for success and competency demonstration, building a culture of peer support and positive feedback, and creating teacher leadership programs that recognize and utilize teacher expertise. Third, administrators should recognize that organizational support involves not only resource allocation but also ensuring teachers perceive and internalize this support through effective communication, genuine expressions of care, and consistent supportive behaviors.

This study has several limitations that should be considered when interpreting the results. First, the cross-sectional research design prevents us drawing definitive causal inferences about the directionality of relationships. Future research could employ longitudinal or experimental designs to establish clearer causal relationships and examine how these relationships develop over time. Second, reliance on self-report data may introduce common method bias. Future studies could incorporate multiple data sources, such as colleague ratings, supervisor evaluations, or objective behavioral indicators, to strengthen the validity of findings. Third, the sample consisted of middle school teachers from Changchun, China, which may limit the generalizability of the results to other cultural contexts or educational levels. Future research could replicate this study across different cultural backgrounds, educational systems, and geographic regions to examine the cross-cultural stability of the results. Fourth, future studies could explore potential moderators, such as teacher experience, school size, or administrative leadership styles, which might strengthen or weaken the observed relationships.

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Lifeng Bai, Aviation University of Air Force, No. 2222, Nanhu Road, Changchun, People’s Republic of China 130061. Email: [email protected]