Uncovering the mediating role of resilience between EFL teacher turnover intention and wellbeing: A conservation-of-resources theory perspective

Wellbeing constitutes one such goal pursued by language teachers who are prone to encounter inevitable challenges (e.g., turnover intention/motivation to leave the teaching profession). Little is known about the relationships between English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) teacher turnover intention, resilience, and wellbeing. This study aims to fill this gap by examining these relationships among a cohort of 1,996 EFL teachers in China. The results of structural equation modeling demonstrated that teacher turnover intention directly and negatively predicted teacher wellbeing. Mediation analysis indicated that resilience and its four dimensions mediated the relationship between turnover intention and wellbeing. Drawing on the conservation-of-resources (COR) theory, this study argues that teacher turnover intention poses a threat to their personal resources (i.e., resilience), thereby leading to a subsequent loss of resources (i.e., wellbeing). Using the findings, we offer some tips for mitigating turnover intention and strengthening teacher resilience and wellbeing.