The Impact of Emotional Intelligence on Teachers' Job Satisfaction: Mediating Role of Psychological Distress

This cross-sectional descriptive study investigated the relationship between emotional intelligence and job satisfaction among Azerbaijani teachers and examined the mediating role of depression, anxiety, and stress on this relationship. Data were collected online from a convenience sample of 668 teachers, using three validated scales, that is, the Job Satisfaction Scale, the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale, and the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire. The mean age of participants was 43.08 (SD 11.28), with the majority of participants being females (82.8%). The results of the correlation analysis indicated a significant positive association between emotional intelligence and job satisfaction. The bootstrapping procedure showed that psychological distress, including depression, anxiety and stress, partially mediated the relationship between emotional intelligence and job satisfaction. These findings highlight the importance of addressing the personal psychological distress of teachers, in addition to developing their emotional intelligence, to enhance their job satisfaction. Implications for future research and teacher well-being are discussed.