Perceived Vulnerability to Disease and the Relationship with Teacher Satisfaction in South Africa during COVID-19: The Serial Role of Burnout, Role Conflict, and Ambiguity

Abstract

Teachers’ work roles and responsibilities have changed dramatically because of the COVID-19 pandemic. These unprecedented changes have the potential to generate role stress and burnout and reduce teachers’ job satisfaction. This study investigated the serial relationship between perceived vulnerability to disease, role stress, burnout, and teaching satisfaction. It was hypothesised that individuals who perceive themselves to be at high risk of contracting COVID-19 would report high role conflict and ambiguity in the workplace, which would in turn lead to high levels of burnout and low satisfaction with teaching. Participants were schoolteachers (N = 355) who completed the Perceived Vulnerability to Disease Questionnaire, the Role Orientation Questionnaire, the Maslach Burnout Inventory, and the Teaching Satisfaction Scale. Path analysis confirmed that perceived vulnerability to disease was associated with role conflict and ambiguity, which was in turn associated with emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation, and low teaching satisfaction. Teachers who appraised themselves as being more vulnerable to contracting COVID-19 experienced greater role stress, which was associated with high levels of burnout and low teaching satisfaction. This study highlights that threat appraisals related to contracting COVID-19 represent an additional job demand and this needs to be matched by job resources that can facilitate coping.

Generalized Resistance Resources in the Time of COVID-19: The Role of Sense of Coherence and Resilience in the Relationship between COVID-19 Fear and Loneliness among Schoolteachers

“…Teachers had to adapt to unprecedented changes in their work roles and responsibilities because of the introduction of online learning. In most countries, teachers were required to upskill in information technology, manage increased workloads, and engage with students digitally [1,3]. In addition, they had to negotiate the impact of the pandemic on their personal lives and relationships and had to adapt to rapidly changing government policy pertaining to the educational system [3].…”

“…In most countries, teachers were required to upskill in information technology, manage increased workloads, and engage with students digitally [1,3]. In addition, they had to negotiate the impact of the pandemic on their personal lives and relationships and had to adapt to rapidly changing government policy pertaining to the educational system [3]. The current study was undertaken in South Africa.…”

“…A substantial proportion of the South African population does not have access to the internet or digital technology [5,6]. Therefore, school closures in South Africa had broad socioeconomic and educational consequences for learners and teachers, leading to the widening of existing socioeconomic inequalities and exacerbating learning losses, particularly in rural schools [3]. Teachers in resource-poor schools have reported inequitable access to digital resources and training in information and communication technology, as well as a need to upskill the existing pedagogical skills that do not cater to the requirements of online teaching and learning [7].…”

The Resilience of South African School Teachers in the Time of COVID-19: Coping with Risk of Infection, Loneliness, and Anxiety

“…By August 2020, the South African government mandated a return to conventional schooling due to disparities in access to education [ 41 ]. Many schools across South Africa are located in disadvantaged communities or rural settings where the resources to engage in digital learning are not available.…”

“…Many schools across South Africa are located in disadvantaged communities or rural settings where the resources to engage in digital learning are not available. The return to traditional schooling was found to increase teachers’ fears and anxieties about exposure to COVID-19 and possibly transmitting it to their loved ones [ 41 ]. Appraisals of enhanced susceptibility to infection were likely to further aggravate these fears and enhance psychological distress.…”