Relationships between kindergarten teachers' demographic characteristics and subjective well-being: An exploratory study in Hong Kong

Relationships between kindergarten teachers' demographic characteristics and subjective well-being: An exploratory study in Hong Kong

• Wong, Yau Ho Paul The Hong Kong Institute of Education

2011

Pacific Early Childhood Education Research Association (PECERA) 12th Conference: Evidence based practice in early childhood care and education (2011: Kobe, Japan)

• M Teachers & Education for Teachers
  • MF Characteristics & Conditions of Educational Workers
• Q Philosophy of Education, Educational System & School At Different Levels
  • QB Pre-school Education, Child Caring Facilities, Maternal & Infantile Health Facilities

• Hong Kong

• 1997.7 onwards

• Pre-Primary Education

While studies consistently showed that a person’s subjective well-being (SWB) was related to his/her job performances, health, and adaptation, few research examined Hong Kong kindergarten teachers’ SWB in relation to their demographics. The purpose of study was to address this issue by examining the relationships of teachers’ job satisfaction, self-esteem, and mental health complaints (representing SWB) to their demographic characteristics. 371 in-service teachers participated voluntarily as convenient sample by self-rating on the inventories, including the Job Satisfaction Survey, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Inventory, and the General Health Questionaire-12. Results showed that the SWB variables showed significant correlations with the majority of demographic factors: the factors of age, marital status, years of teaching, and rank in school correlated with all SWB variables. Among all demographics, the “rank in school” factor was the most consistent factor in associating with all SWB variables. In addition, there were group differences in SWB by teachers’ age, working experiences, school ranks, school type, and marital statuses. The age group (46-50) displayed the highest job satisfaction, whereas another age group (26-30) showed the lowest job satisfaction. Teachers with teaching experiences longer than 21 years had significantly higher job satisfactions than those with 6-10 years and 11-15 years of experiences. Of all ranks in kindergartens, the principals displayed the highest job satisfaction. Teachers worked in non-profit-making kindergartens showed consistently more favourable job satisfaction and perceived work environment than teachers in profit-making kindergartens. Furthermore, married teachers indicated significantly higher self-esteem than singled teachers. Implications of findings to teachers’ development were discussed.

Paper presented at the Pacific Early Childhood Education Research Association (PECERA) 12th Conference: Evidence based practice in early childhood care and education

• English

Conference Papers

https://bibliography.lib.eduhk.hk/bibs/b1e60197

2016-01-07