Perceiving goals as Invariable: The mediating role of job autonomy, self-efficacy on Norwegian teachers' and principals’ intrinsic motivation, burnout, and turnover intention

IF 5.7 1区教育学 Q1 EDUCATION & EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH

Learning and Instruction Pub Date : 2026-04-01 Epub Date: 2025-12-31 DOI:10.1016/j.learninstruc.2025.102306

Johannes L. Hatfield , Bård Kuvaas

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background

Accountability-based education systems have increasingly emphasized performance monitoring through key performance indicators (KPIs), especially after the so-called “PISA shock” in 2001. While such indicators aim to raise standards, they may also lead educators to perceive goals as rigid and non-negotiable—referred to as Perceiving Goals as.

Invariable

(PGI). Despite growing concern, empirical research on the motivational and psychological consequences of PGI in education remains limited.

Aims

This study investigates whether PGI is associated with burnout, turnover intention, and intrinsic motivation, and whether these associations are mediated by autonomy satisfaction, autonomy frustration, and self-efficacy.

Sample

Two large-scale cross-sectional samples were used: 3178 Norwegian teachers (Study 1) and 461 principals (Study 2, replication).

Methods

Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to test direct and indirect associations between PGI and key motivational outcomes. Both models controlled for demographic and school-level covariates. Mediating pathways through autonomy satisfaction, autonomy frustration, and self-efficacy were tested to examine underlying mechanisms.

Results

PGI was positively associated with burnout and turnover intention, and negatively associated with intrinsic motivation in both samples. Mediation analyses showed full indirect effects: PGI predicted lower autonomy satisfaction and self-efficacy, and higher autonomy frustration, which in turn predicted worse motivational outcomes.

Conclusions

This study underscores the potential psychological costs of rigid goal perceptions in accountability-driven school systems. PGI appears to undermine educators’ motivation and well-being through its detrimental effects on basic psychological needs and perceived competence. These findings highlight the importance of designing goal structures that promote autonomy and self-efficacy in educational settings.

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感知目标不变：工作自主性、自我效能感对挪威教师和校长内在动机、职业倦怠和离职倾向的中介作用

基于问责制的教育系统越来越强调通过关键绩效指标（kpi）进行绩效监控，特别是在2001年所谓的“PISA冲击”之后。虽然这些指标旨在提高标准，但它们也可能导致教育工作者将目标视为刚性和不可协商的-被称为感知目标不变（PGI）。尽管越来越受到关注，但关于PGI在教育中的动机和心理影响的实证研究仍然有限。目的本研究旨在探讨PGI是否与职业倦怠、离职倾向和内在动机相关，以及这些关联是否通过自主性满意度、自主性挫败感和自我效能感介导。样本使用了两个大规模的横断面样本：3178名挪威教师（研究1）和461名校长（研究2，重复）。方法采用结构方程模型（SEM）检验PGI与主要动机结果之间的直接和间接关系。两个模型都控制了人口统计和学校水平的协变量。通过自主性满意、自主性挫折和自我效能的中介途径进行了测试，以研究潜在的机制。结果spgi与倦怠、离职意向呈显著正相关，与内在动机呈显著负相关。中介分析显示了充分的间接效应：PGI预测较低的自主满意度和自我效能，较高的自主挫败感，进而预测较差的激励结果。本研究强调了在问责制驱动的学校系统中，严格的目标观念所带来的潜在心理成本。PGI似乎通过其对基本心理需求和感知能力的有害影响来破坏教育者的动机和福祉。这些发现强调了在教育环境中设计促进自主和自我效能的目标结构的重要性。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Learning and Instruction Multiple-

CiteScore

11.30

自引率

4.80%

发文量

109

期刊介绍： As an international, multi-disciplinary, peer-refereed journal, Learning and Instruction provides a platform for the publication of the most advanced scientific research in the areas of learning, development, instruction and teaching. The journal welcomes original empirical investigations. The papers may represent a variety of theoretical perspectives and different methodological approaches. They may refer to any age level, from infants to adults and to a diversity of learning and instructional settings, from laboratory experiments to field studies. The major criteria in the review and the selection process concern the significance of the contribution to the area of learning and instruction, and the rigor of the study.