The work ability (WA) construct was proposed to identify whether individuals are able to continue to meet the physical and psychosocial requirements of their profession. Perceived teacher work ability (PWA) refers to the teachers’s subjective assessment of their individual physical and mental capacity to perform the required job tasks and successfully cope with the physical, emotional, and organizational demands associated with the current teacher roles (Hlaďo et al., 2020; McGonagle et al., 2022).

The role of self-rated health in the relationship between burnout and perceived teacher work ability

In light of previous research, the teaching profession is widely acknowledged as one characterized by substantial stress levels. Teacher stress primarily emanates from the high job demands and the demanding work conditions inherent to the teaching profession. The JD-R model and previous research findings showed that ineffectively managing job demands and persistent work-related stress may result in teacher burnout (Schaufeli & Taris, 2014; Hakanen et al., 2006). For instance, Hlaďo et al. (2020) among aging upper secondary school teachers found that burnout is a significant predictor of WA with a strong negative effect. More frequently than other occupational groups, teachers suffer from diseases that develop from mental and emotional stress (Freude et al., 2005). Relying on the JD-R model, it can be concluded that burnout may lead to adverse outcomes for the individual, including impaired employee health (Schaufeli & Taris, 2014). On the other side, physical and mental health affects an individual’s capacity to perform job demands, and health conditions can be considered an antecedent of PWA. However, limited research has examined the relationships between burnout, health status, and WA in teachers simultaneously. In the JD-R model, physical and mental health is harmed by burnout (Taris et al., 2017), and impaired health can be regarded as contributing to reduced WA among teachers (Cadiz et al., 2019). Thus, physical and mental health may intensify the adverse effect of burnout on WA. Thus, we hypothesize:

- H1: Self-rated physical health and self-rated mental health serve as mediators for the relationship between burnout and PWA among lower secondary school teachers.

The role of burnout in the relationship between self-efficacy and perceived teacher work ability

Previous research has shown a positive relationship between self-efficacy and WA in different occupational groups. Among primary and middle school Italian teachers, Guidetti et al. (2018) found that teachers’ self-efficacy significantly and positively influences PWA. In their systematic review, Mijakoski et al. (2022) identified low teacher self-efficacy as a detrimental determinant of teacher exhaustion. The research findings suggest that teacher burnout is reduced or mitigated when teachers positively perceive their self‐efficacy. The revised JD-R model (Taris et al., 2017) posits a mediating role of burnout in the link between personal resources and work outcomes. Drawing on the research findings outlined above, we can infer that higher self-efficacy among teachers may result in lower levels of burnout and, consequently, a higher level of WA. As stated above, teachers with high self-efficacy demonstrate lower burnout since self-efficacy is associated with more effective coping strategies, allowing teachers to focus on finding solutions to the problems. Thus, higher self-efficacy prevents teacher burnout, and lower burnout levels promote higher WA. However, to our knowledge, no study has explored the mediating effects of burnout in the relationship between self-efficacy and WA. Therefore, we hypothesize:

- H2: Burnout acts as a mediator between self-efficacy and PWA among lower secondary school teachers.

In this cross-sectional research, we engaged lower secondary school teachers in the Czech Republic. The data collection took place from May to June 2023 using an online questionnaire. The participants in this study were 821 lower secondary teachers (83.3% females). Their ages ranged from 20 to 76 years, with a mean age of 45.6 years (SD = 10.8). On average, participants spent 17.5 years (SD = 11.7) in the teaching profession. The participants represent various subjects, such as biology, chemistry, languages, mathematics, physics, and PE. Instruments: Perceived teacher work ability was evaluated using the Teacher work ability score (TWAS; Hlaďo et al., [not published]). TWAS is a 29-item inventory. The TWAS items are measured on a 7-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (low) to 7 (high). Burnout was measured by the Czech version of the Shirom-Melamed Burnout Questionnaire (SMBQ; Ptáček et al., 2017). The SMBQ is a 14-item inventory consisting of three subscales that measure physical exhaustion, cognitive weariness, and emotional exhaustion. The SMBQ items are measured on a 7-point Likert-type scale with response options ranging from 1 – never or almost never to 7 – always or almost always. Teacher self-efficacy was measured using the Czech version of the Teachers’ Sense of Self-Efficacy Scale (TSES; Klassen et al., 2009). The TSES is a 12-item self-reported tool with four items in each of three factors: TSE for instructional strategies (e.g., “How much can you do to provide an alternate explanation when students are confused?”), TSE for student engagement (“How much can you do to motivate students who show low interest in school work?”), and TSE for classroom management (“How much can you do to get children to follow classroom rules?”). The items are rated on a 9-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (nothing) to 9 (a great deal). Self-rated health was assessed using two items: "How is your physical health?“ and "How is your mental health?“ The participants rated their general, physical, and mental health on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (very bad) to 5 (very good). The mediation analysis started with calculating the descriptive statistics and correlation analyses to explore the bivariate relations among the core variables. Subsequently, all partial models necessary for the parallel multiple mediator models were calculated along with indirect effects. All analyses were carried out in the R statistical environment.

Preliminary results of the statistical models partially supported hypothesis 1. Only self-rated mental health mediated the relationship between burnout and PWA of teachers. Hypothesis 2 was also supported only partially. The mediating variables in the relationship between teacher self-efficacy and PWA were physical and emotional exhaustion but not cognitive weariness. Detailed statistical results will be provided in the conference presentation. In addition to enriching the JD-R theory, our findings might have some practical implications for the maintenance and promotion of teachers’ work ability. Based on our findings, we will provide recommendations to support work ability and, thus, indirectly to the career development of teachers. Recommendations will be directed not only to teachers but also to school management.

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