Occupational stress and burnout among Japanese early childhood education and care teachers: the mediating role of psychological safety.

IF 2.7 Q2 PSYCHOLOGY, CLINICAL

Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine Pub Date : 2026-05-06 eCollection Date: 2026-01-01 DOI:10.1080/21642850.2026.2668170

Yuko Matsuda, Shoko Hamada

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background: Early childhood education and care (ECEC) teachers in Japan experience high levels of occupational stress, placing them at significant risk of burnout. While organizational support has been explored concerning burnout, limited research has examined the role of psychological safety as a mediating factor in this context.

Objective: This study investigated the mediating role of psychological safety in the relationship between occupational stress and burnout among ECEC teachers in Japan.

Methods: A longitudinal data survey was conducted in early May 2023 (Time 1) and late March 2024 (Time 2), with 500 participants completing both surveys. Measures included the Brief Job Stress Questionnaire (Time 1) and Japanese versions of the Burnout and Psychological Safety Scales (Time 2).

Results: Covariance structure analysis revealed that quantitative job overload had a direct positive association with only emotional exhaustion. Higher job control was associated with lower levels across all dimensions of burnout and was partially mediated by psychological safety. Supervisor support had a direct negative association with only reduced personal accomplishment, while having a significant indirect association with all burnout dimensions through psychological safety. The association of coworker support with burnout was fully mediated by psychological safety.

Conclusion: These findings underscore the critical role of psychological safety in the relationship between occupational stress and burnout. Notably, they suggest that interventions to enhance psychological safety may effectively prevent burnout among ECEC teachers.

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日本幼儿教育护理教师职业压力与职业倦怠：心理安全的中介作用。

背景：日本的幼儿教育和护理（ECEC）教师经历着高水平的职业压力，使他们面临着巨大的职业倦怠风险。虽然组织支持已经探讨了倦怠，但有限的研究已经检查了心理安全在这方面作为中介因素的作用。目的：探讨心理安全在日本ECEC教师职业压力与职业倦怠关系中的中介作用。方法：于2023年5月初（时间1）和2024年3月下旬（时间2）进行纵向数据调查，共500名参与者完成两项调查。测量方法包括简要工作压力问卷（时间1）和日文版的倦怠和心理安全量表（时间2）。结果：协方差结构分析显示，定量工作负荷与情绪耗竭有直接正相关。较高的工作控制与较低的倦怠水平相关，并部分由心理安全介导。主管支持仅与个人成就感降低存在直接负相关，而通过心理安全与倦怠各维度存在显著间接相关。同事支持与职业倦怠之间的关系完全由心理安全介导。结论：心理安全在职业压力与职业倦怠的关系中起重要作用。值得注意的是，他们认为增强心理安全的干预措施可以有效地预防ECEC教师的职业倦怠。

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

Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine PSYCHOLOGY, CLINICAL-

CiteScore

3.50

自引率

3.70%

发文量

审稿时长

24 weeks

期刊介绍： Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine: an Open Access Journal (HPBM) publishes theoretical and empirical contributions on all aspects of research and practice into psychosocial, behavioral and biomedical aspects of health. HPBM publishes international, interdisciplinary research with diverse methodological approaches on: Assessment and diagnosis Narratives, experiences and discourses of health and illness Treatment processes and recovery Health cognitions and behaviors at population and individual levels Psychosocial an behavioral prevention interventions Psychosocial determinants and consequences of behavior Social and cultural contexts of health and illness, health disparities Health, illness and medicine Application of advanced information and communication technology.