Preschool teachers' professional well-being, emotion regulation, and professional identity: A multi-level latent profile approach

This study explored how professional well-being, emotion regulation, and professional identity would interrelate at the individual and school levels with data from 1,690 teachers nested in 99 Chinese preschools. A multilevel latent profile analysis identified four teacher-level emotion regulation profiles (Moderate, Strained, Adaptive and Deep) and four school-level profiles (Multifaceted, Challenged, Dynamic and Adjustable), each showing distinct links to well-being. The profiles differed significantly in professional identity. The Strained profile revealed the coexistence of surface acting and natural expression, suggesting complementary strategies. These findings provide insights into emotion regulation and their role in shaping professional identity within the Chinese context. •Four teacher emotion regulation profiles: Moderate, Strained, Adaptive, and Deep.•A unique teacher profile: coexistence of surface acting and natural expression.•Four school-level profiles: Multifaceted, Challenged, Dynamic, Adjustable.•School-level teaching efficacy predicted school profiles.•Differences in professional identity existed across profiles (teacher and school).