Although kindergarten work environments in Hong Kong and overseas have been found to be unfavourable, a smaller than expected number of teachers have displayed a low level of subjective well-being (SWB). This research aimed to investigate how SWB could be predicted by perceived work environment, personality types, and resilience. It also examined the mediating functions of resilience in the relationships of perceived work environment and personality types to SWB.
In this research, SWB was represented by job satisfaction, measured by the Job Satisfaction Survey; self-esteem, assessed by the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale; and mental health complaints, captured by the General Health Questionnaire-12. Perceived work environment comprised psychosocial and non-psychosocial aspects, with the former evaluated by the School Culture Survey and the latter measured by the Kindergarten Ergonomics-Manpower Inventory (KEMI), a new inventory developed in Study 2. Personality types were measured by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. Resilience was represented by hardiness and optimism, which were captured by the Hardiness Scale and the Revised Life Orientation Test, respectively.
This research adopted a mixed method design and comprised four studies. Study 1 was the pilot study involving 64 teachers in validating seven inventories and exploring the relationships between perceived school culture, personality types, hardiness, optimism, job satisfaction, self-esteem, and mental health complaints. Data analyses using SPSS 17 revealed that perceived school culture and personality types were significantly related to job satisfaction, self-esteem, and mental health complaints. Hardiness, but not optimism, mediated the relationships of perceived work environment and personality types to job satisfaction, self-esteem, and mental health complaints.
Study 2 developed a new inventory (i.e. KEMI) to measure kindergartens' non-psychosocial work environments and comprised two stages

The study aims at presenting the scenario of job satisfaction/dissatisfaction of kindergarten teachers in Hong Kong. New evidence from neuroscience suggests that early experience and positive, stimulating interactions with other people are crucial for optimum brain development of the young child. The quality of their teachers is of vital importance. With high job satisfaction, the teachers are motivated to work effectively in order to achieve good quality. It is envisaged that the knowledge about the elements of the teacher's job nature or the work environment may contribute to enhancing/reducing their job satisfaction/dissatisfaction.
Review of literature informed that the definition of job satisfaction tends to emphasize on affect. Yet there is no work-based study investigating the simultaneous contributions of belief and affective experiences. The key concern of this study is thus to bridge the gap by revealing the daily experiences of the target group.
The study investigated how and why the kindergarten teachers were satisfied with their work in the Hong Kong context. The feelings and thoughts of the kindergarten teachers were explored through their words. The result of the study provided an affective account as well as the cognitive evaluation of job satisfaction / dissatisfaction of the kindergarten teachers.
This study adopted the qualitative approach. Data collection was done through open-ended survey, in-depth individual interviews and focus group interviews. One hundred and seventy-five kindergarten teachers, including both former and currently working ones, served as informants. Three cases were found to provide more holistic views on their personal accounts. Triangulation, through the multiple sources of data, was employed to verify the study.
The findings obtained after the reduction and analysis of data were interpreted through the framework of Yin Yang. Within the framework, the elements, such as 'love' between teachers and children