EXAMINING THE EFFECTS OF SUPPORT FOR TEACHERS’ BASIC PSYCHOLOGICAL NEEDS ON TEACHERS’ INTENT TO LEAVE

Abstract

Many schools are facing serious teaching shortages and high teacher turnover, a problem amplified in schools with difficult challenges, and especially in certain subject areas. Teacher turnover coupled with a lack of individuals entering and remaining in the profession has created a serious educational predicament. Various solutions have been attempted, but these efforts have often overlooked why quality teachers are leaving. School working conditions are a source of potential solutions in terms of improving teacher well-being and satisfaction that principals are more equipped to manipulate for the better. The purpose of this study is to gather preliminary empirical evidence of the relationship between leader support for teacher psychological needs and teacher intention to leave the school and/or profession. Self-Determination Theory, provided a framework for theorizing a multilevel path model of support for teacher autonomy, competence, and relatedness and its relationship to teacher intent to leave their school and/or profession. Results suggest that autonomy support was positively associated and antecedent to support for competence and relatedness. Autonomy support also had stronger direct negative relationships with both teachers’ intent to leave the school and profession at the teacher level. Policy makers and school leaders should view these findings as a critical lever for alleviating the pervasive issue of teacher turnover.