The mediating role of workplace social support on the relationship between trait emotional intelligence and teacher burnout

• An integrated model of teacher burnout was developed based on this study's results.
• Emotional intelligence is negatively associated with teacher burnout.
• Emotional intelligence is positively associated with workplace social support.
• Workplace social support partially mediated emotional intelligence and teacher burnout.
• The mediating relationship among variables is consistent across gender and age.

This study investigated the mediating effect of workplace social support on the relationship between trait emotional intelligence and teacher burnout among 307 Chinese middle school teachers. Structural equation modelling revealed a satisfactory fit between the data and our theoretical model. Workplace social support partially mediated the relationship between trait emotional intelligence and teacher burnout. Neither gender nor age moderated the relationship between trait emotional intelligence and teacher burnout. Emotional intelligence and workplace social support can protect teachers from teacher burnout. Thus, providing effective emotional intelligence training and creating supportive workplace conditions requires increased attention from education administrators.