This study aimed to explore ways to enhance teachers' life satisfaction by examining the mediating effect of basic psychological needs satisfaction on the relationship between the social support perceived by public kindergarten teachers from principal...
This study aimed to explore ways to enhance teachers' life satisfaction by examining the mediating effect of basic psychological needs satisfaction on the relationship between the social support perceived by public kindergarten teachers from principals, colleagues, and parents and their life satisfaction. The study participants were 133 teachers from public single-kindergarten institutions and multi-class affiliated kindergartens located in Province A. Based on self-reported survey data, descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation analysis, and bootstrapping mediation analysis were conducted using the JAMOVI 2.3.28 statistical program. The study results showed the following: first, social support from principals, colleagues, and parents, basic psychological needs, and life satisfaction, including all sub-factors, were significantly positively correlated. Second, it confirmed the mediating effect of autonomy, a sub-factor of basic psychological needs, in the impact of social support from principals and parents on teachers' life satisfaction. These results are significant in that they suggest practical support strategies for enhancing teachers' life satisfaction by demonstrating that social support from principals and parents leads to increased life satisfaction through the satisfaction of autonomy, a sub-factor of teachers' basic psychological needs.
Keywords: Social support, Life satisfaction, Basic psychological needs