Why teachers want to leave? The roles of achievement goals, burnout and perceived school context

This study was designed to examine how achievement goals, burnout, and school context relate to beginning teachers' turnover intention in China (n = 1028). Results showed that mastery goals and performance-avoidance goals, respectively, were negatively and positively related to teachers' turnover intention because of burnout. The mediating effect of performance-approach goals is relatively small. Importantly, among five school context variables, time pressure and discipline problems moderated the association between burnout and turnover intention. The indirect effects of achievement goals are related to the level of teachers' perceived time pressure and discipline problems. In other words, high levels of time pressure and serious discipline problems amplify the roles of teachers' achievement goals. Teachers' mastery goals and performance-avoidance goals will be more important for their turnover intention when they face demanding situations. Theoretical and practical implications are also discussed.

Automated summary

This study explores the relationship between achievement goals, burnout, school context, and turnover intention among beginning teachers in China. Mastery goals and performance-avoidance goals were found to influence teachers' turnover intention through burnout. School context variables such as time pressure and discipline problems moderate the association between burnout and turnover intention. Teachers' achievement goals play an important role in their turnover intention, particularly in demanding situations.