Does resilient leadership enhance job thriving among Chinese teachers? The role psychological capital and emotional intelligence

Abstract

This study examines the influence of principal resilient leadership on teacher job thriving, emphasizing the mediating role of teacher psychological capital and the moderating role of teacher emotional intelligence. Data from 1169 primary and secondary school teachers across five Chinese provinces were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) and latent moderated structural (LMS) equations. The findings reveal that principal resilient leadership positively affects teacher job thriving, with teacher psychological capital serving as a significant mediator. Teacher emotional intelligence moderates the link between teacher psychological capital and teacher job thriving but has no significant moderating effect on the relationship between principal resilient leadership and teacher job thriving. This suggests that teachers with high emotional intelligence tend to rely more on self-regulation and intrinsic motivation than external support. These findings invite a reconsideration of the boundaries of social embeddedness theory, questioning whether its emphasis on external workplace resources might overlook the agency of individuals. It also highlights the practical need for resilience training programs for principals and emotional intelligence development for teachers to optimize job thriving.