Career development and foreign language teacher well-being: Mediating effect of career satisfaction

High levels of stress are consistently reported in the teaching profession, making it crucial to identify factors that influence teachers’ mental health and well-being. This study examined a conceptual model of well-being in teachers of English as a foreign language (EFL), incorporating career satisfaction as a mediating factor in the relationship between career development and teacher well-being. I conducted a survey of 305 Chinese EFL teachers using standardized scales. The results of structural equation modeling showed significant and positive relationships between career development and career satisfaction, and between career development and well-being. Further, career satisfaction mediated the relationship between career development and well-being. These findings have important implications for improving practices in the teaching field and provide valuable directions for future research.