The Influence of Emotional Intelligence and Psychological Capital on Reducing Burnout among Chinese Elementary EFL Teachers

Authors

  • Wenyu Zhu

    Faculty of Social Sciences and Liberal Arts, UCSI University, Kuala Lumpur 56000, Malaysia
  • Vaidehi Ulaganathan

    Faculty of Applied Sciences, UCSI University, Kuala Lumpur 56000, Malaysia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30564/fls.v7i4.8183
Received: 22 December 2024 | Revised: 23 February 2025 | Accepted: 25 February 2025 | Published Online: 22 March 2025

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of emotional intelligence and psychological capital on reducing burnout among Chinese elementary EFL teachers, with implications for fostering quality education. It explores their interrelationships and predictive roles in teacher burnout. Surveys were administered to 80 participants, assessing burnout, emotional intelligence, and psychological capital. Descriptive statistics showed mean scores of 45.84 (SD = 12.65) for burnout, 114.83 (SD = 12.67) for emotional intelligence, and 103.49 (SD = 8.52) for psychological capital. Correlation analyses indicated weak negative relationships between burnout and emotional intelligence (r = −0.176) and psychological capital (r = −0.081), though these were non-significant. Multiple regression analysis revealed that these variables explained only 3% of burnout variance, suggesting minimal predictive power. The findings highlight the importance of supporting teachers’ psychological and emotional well-being to enhance their effectiveness and sustain quality education. The lack of strong correlations points to burnout’s complexity, likely shaped by geographic and contextual factors. Future research should expand variable sets to build robust models for predicting and mitigating burnout, ensuring teachers thrive in delivering quality education and sustainable instruction.

Keywords:

Burnout; Elementary Education; Teachers; Sustainability; Quality Education

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How to Cite

Zhu, W., & Ulaganathan, V. (2025). The Influence of Emotional Intelligence and Psychological Capital on Reducing Burnout among Chinese Elementary EFL Teachers. Forum for Linguistic Studies, 7(4), 40–50. https://doi.org/10.30564/fls.v7i4.8183

Issue

Vol. 7 , Iss. 4 (April 2025): In Progress

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Article

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Copyright © 2025 Wenyu Zhu, Vaidehi Ulaganathan

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This is an open access article under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) License.