Predictors of Psychological Well-Being Among Pre-Service Teachers: Emotional Intelligence and Occupational Anxiety

TL;DR

This study found that emotional intelligence boosts well-being in future teachers, while occupational anxiety reduces it, suggesting that training in emotional skills could improve outcomes.

Contribution

The study identifies emotional intelligence and occupational anxiety as key predictors of psychological well-being in pre-service teachers using a mediation model.

Findings

Emotional intelligence positively predicts psychological well-being (Beta = 0.66).

Occupational anxiety negatively predicts psychological well-being (Beta = -0.28).

Emotional intelligence indirectly affects well-being through reduced occupational anxiety.

Abstract

This study examined psychological well-being as the outcome and its associations with emotional intelligence and occupational anxiety in a sample of pre-service teachers (n = 360) from 74 universities in Türkiye. Participants completed the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire-Short Form (TEIQue-SF), the Ryff Psychological Well-Being Scale (PWBS), and the Occupational Anxiety Scale (OAS). After descriptive statistics and Pearson correlations, multiple linear regression was conducted; incremental validity was examined with a two-block hierarchical model. Emotional intelligence was positively associated with psychological well-being, whereas occupational anxiety showed a negative association. In the regression model, emotional intelligence (Beta = 0.66) and occupational anxiety (Beta = −0.28) jointly explained 71% of the variance in psychological well-being (R = 0.84, R2 = 0.71, F(2, 357) = 426.18, p < 0.001). Mediation analysis (PROCESS Model 4, 5000 bootstrap resamples) further supported an indirect association whereby higher emotional intelligence was related to lower occupational anxiety, which in turn was related to higher psychological well-being, while the direct association remained significant. These findings suggest that strengthening socio-emotional competencies and integrating anxiety regulation strategies within teacher education may support well-being outcomes. The principal limitations are the cross-sectional design and reliance on self-report measures, so inferences are correlational rather than causal. Future research should include longitudinal or quasi-experimental evaluations of interventions targeting emotional intelligence and anxiety regulation, using multi-method measurement and tests of moderation and multilevel models.

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