The social cognitive model of job satisfaction among teachers: Testing and validation

The study empirically tests an integrative model of work satisfaction (Lent and Brown, 2006, Duffy and Lent, 2009, Lent et al., 2008 and Lent et al., 2011) in a sample of 5,022 teachers in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. The study provided more support for the Lent and Brown (2006) model. Results revealed that this model was a strong fit for the data and accounted for 82% of the variance in work satisfaction. Of the five predictor classes, work conditions, goal progress, and positive affect were each found to explain unique predictive variance. This suggests that teachers who are most satisfied with their jobs see their work environment as supportive, experience positive goal progress, and report high levels of trait positive affect. Self-efficacy was related indirectly to work satisfaction (via work conditions and via goal progress). Goal support was also related indirectly to work satisfaction (via work conditions, and via self efficacy, but through goal progress. Implications of the findings for future research and efforts to promote teachers’ job satisfaction in Abu Dhabi are discussed.

► Testing integrative model of work satisfaction in a sample of teachers in Abu Dhabi.
► The model was a strong fit accounted for 82% of the variance in work satisfaction.
► Work conditions, goal progress, and positive affect were strong predictors.
► Self-efficacy was related indirectly to work satisfaction.