Preschool teachers' social support and intention to stay: A moderated mediation model

Abstract

We explored the relationship between social support and preschool teachers' intention to stay in their job, as well as the mediating role of work engagement and the moderating role of resilience. We recruited a sample of 1,693 Chinese preschool teachers to complete a survey on their social support, work engagement, intention to stay, and resilience. Results indicate that the social support of preschool teachers was positively correlated with their intention to stay, work engagement, and resilience. Social support had a positive predictive effect on the intention to stay. Work engagement partially mediated the effects of social support on the intention to stay. Additionally, resilience significantly moderated the effects of work engagement on the intention to stay. Thus, we have affirmed that work engagement significantly mediates the effects of social support on the intention to stay, and that resilience moderates the second half of this mediation process.