ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Psychol.
Sec. Educational Psychology
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1572070
This article is part of the Research TopicEmotional Intelligence in Educational Psychology: Enhancing Learning and DevelopmentView all 10 articles
Chinese College Teachers' Emotional Intelligence and Mental Health: A Chain Mediation Model Involving Student Relationship Quality
Provisionally accepted
- South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
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This study investigates the relationship between teacher engagement and mental health among Chinese college teachers, examining the mediating roles of emotional intelligence (EI) and teacher-student relationships. Teacher engagement, characterized by commitment, enthusiasm, and dedication, is crucial for educators' mental well-being, as it fosters job satisfaction, reduces stress, and mitigates burnout. In the context of Chinese higher education, unique challenges such as heavy workloads and high expectations necessitate targeted approaches to enhance teacher engagement and mental health. The study utilized a four-wave panel design involving 1,264 Chinese college teachers from Guangdong Province. Data were collected on teacher engagement, EI components (attention, clarity, and repair), the quality of teacher-student relationships, and mental health outcomes. The results revealed a significant direct effect of teacher engagement on mental health, indicating that higher engagement levels are associated with better mental health outcomes. Mediation analyses showed that EI attention and repair significantly mediated this relationship, while EI clarity did not independently mediate the effect. Additionally, serial mediation analysis highlighted the importance of EI clarity and teacher-student relationships in enhancing mental health. Engaged teachers with high EI were better equipped to manage stress and build positive relationships with their students, fostering a supportive work environment. The study underscores the need for professional development programs focusing on EI training and strategies to improve teacher-student relationships, aiming to support teachers' well-being. Overall, this research provides valuable insights into the complex interplay between teacher engagement, emotional intelligence, and mental health, offering guidance for educational institutions to develop targeted interventions that promote teacher well-being and effectiveness.
Keywords: Teacher engagement, Mental Health, Emotional Intelligence, teacher-student relationships, Chinese College Teachers
Received: 06 Feb 2025; Accepted: 07 Jul 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Zhang. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Qian Zhang, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
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