Relationship between professional identity, career satisfaction, value of competence and growth, and job burnout: A cross-sectional study of primary and secondary school teachers in China

Teachers' job burnout is becoming increasingly common in China. Based on the Job Demands-Resources model and Social identity theory, this study aimed to assess the influence of professional identity on primary and secondary school teachers' job burnout, mediating effect of career satisfaction, and moderating role of the value of competence and growth in these relationships. The cross-sectional design was conducted in this study with a total of 1362 teachers. The investigation materials included the Chinese versions of the teachers' professional identity scale, career satisfaction scale, value and experience scale, and professional quality of life scale. The results indicated that career satisfaction mediated the relationship between teachers' professional identity and job burnout. When the scores for competencies and growth were high, teachers' professional identity exhibited the greatest predictive effect on burnout through career satisfaction. These findings have implications for preventing burnout among teachers.