Emotional Intelligence Moderates the Relationships Between Teachers’ Emotions and Life Satisfaction: A Longitudinal Study During the Teachers’ Role Transition

Abstract

Extensive research has explored the link between emotions and life satisfaction, yet a notable gap remains in understanding the prospective connections between teacher work-related emotions and life satisfaction during role transitions—a critical period in teacher development—and the moderating impact of emotional intelligence (EI). To address this, we used cross-lagged models to analyze the relationship between work-related emotions and life satisfaction in 357 novice teachers, from their internship through their first year of teaching, and explored the moderating role of EI in this relationship. The results indicated that positive emotions positively predicted future life satisfaction, while negative emotions had a negative effect over time. Positive emotions exhibited a stronger correlation with life satisfaction compared to negative ones. Furthermore, EI moderated these relationships: Among high-EI teachers, positive emotions predicted increased life satisfaction, which subsequently predicted fewer future negative emotions. In contrast, among low-EI teachers, negative emotions predicted lower life satisfaction. These findings underscore the importance of promoting positive emotions and enhancing emotional intelligence to bolster teachers' well-being.