RELATIONSHIP OF ACADEMIC OPTIMISM WITH SCHOOL CLIMATE, DISPOSITIONAL OPTIMISM, JOB SATISFACTION, AND COMMITMENT AMONG FEMALE PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS

Abstract

The present research aimed at exploring the relationship of teachers’ academic optimism with school climate, dispositional optimism, job satisfaction and commitment among primary school teachers. More specifically, this research attempted to find out the predictive relationship between the aforementioned variables. Further, the mediating role of teachers’ academic optimism in the relationship of school climate and dispositional, and job satisfaction and teacher commitment was also explored. Additionally, demographics wise differences in study variables study variables (i.e., age, education, professional experience, monthly salary, and grade) was also examined. For the very purpose, this research was completed in two parts. Part I comprised of four independent studies. In study 1, adaptation and validation of Life Orientation Test-Revised (LOT-R; Scheier, Carver, & Bridges, 1994), Job Satisfaction Scale (JSS; Camman, Fichman, Henkins, & Klesh, 1979), and Teacher Commitment Scale (TCS; Hausman & Goldring, 2001) was carried out. The LOT-R (Urdu), JSS (Urdu), and TCS (Urdu) showed satisfactory psychometric properties. The study 2, and study 3 comprised the development of Teacher Academic Optimism Scale (TAOS) and School Climate Scale (SCS). The construct validity of TAOS and SCS was established through Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA). Discriminant validity evidence was also established. EFA for TAOS resulted in three factor structure (i.e., teacher trust in parents and students, teacher self-efficacy, and academic emphasis). A three factor solution emerged also for SCS (i.e., Relationships, Support, and Obstacles to Teaching). In study four confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was carried out for LOT-R, JSS, TCS, TAOS, and SCS. This provided further evidence for construct validity of all the measures. Part II of the research comprised two studies, pilot study and the main study. The pilot study aimed to examine the trends of data for present sample and main study aimed for meeting the objectives and hypothesis testing. For main study the measures LOT-R, JSS, TCS, TAOS, and SCS were administered to a purposive sample of 443 female primary school teachers working in Model schools of Islamabad. These schools were located in urban area of Islamabad. Two models were tested using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). Results from Model 1 showed that teachers’ perception of school climate and dispositional optimism had significant direct positive effect on job satisfaction, and teacher commitment. The results also showed that teachers’ academic optimism mediated the relationship between teachers’ perception of school climate and job satisfaction whereas, it does not mediate the relationship between teachers’ perception of school climate and teacher commitment. Demographic variables (i.e., age education, professional experience, monthly income, and grade) were controlled while testing model 1 and 2. In Model 2, dimensions of school climate (i.e., relationships, support, and obstacles to teaching) and dispositional optimism were used as predictors of job satisfaction and teacher commitment. ‘Relationships’ and ‘support’ had significant direct positive effect job satisfaction and teacher commitment. In model 2 dimensions of teacher academic optimism (i.e., teacher trust in parents and students, self-efficacy, and academic emphasis) were used to test the mediation model. Teacher trust in parents and students and teacher self-efficacy mediated the relationship between ‘relationships’ and job satisfaction and teacher commitment. Teacher trust in parents and students and self-efficacy also mediated the relationship between ‘support’ and job satisfaction and teacher commitment. Self-efficacy and trust in parents and student also mediated the relationship between dispositional optimism and job satisfaction and teacher commitment. Group wise comparisons showed that the greater the age, experience, education, and monthly salary of the teachers more positive perception is of school climate they have, academically more optimistic they are and more satisfied with jobs they are. Implications of the present research are discussed at teacher training and policy change level. Limitations have been acknowledged and future research directions have been suggested accordingly.