Teacher well-being — a conceptual systematic review (2020–2023)

Abstract

Teacher well-being (TWB) is increasingly recognized as being influential on educational outcomes, teacher retention, and overall school performance. However, despite a growing body of empirical research, TWB remains conceptually ambiguous, with multiple, often conflicting definitions and models, which hinders the comparability of findings. The essential question ( What are the conceptual models of TWB that form the basis of studies? ) is answered with a Conceptual Systematic Review (CSR), analyzing 168 recent publications, to synthesize the usage and frequency of TWB-related terms. The CSR identifies three perspectives—Conditions, Components, and Outcomes—each comprising multiple categories and subcategories that often show overlaps or inconsistencies. Our review reveals that within a widely shared notion of TWB as a psychological construct with positive cognitive and affective connotations, certain sets of factors, in particular individual factors such as beliefs/evaluations and emotions/affect, are proposed as conditions in some studies and as components in other studies. These results call for clearer distinctions between TWB’s constitutive elements and its (hypothetically) determining elements. By offering a systematic framework for understanding and sorting research on TWB, the reported review provides a foundation for future studies. Ultimately, a precise conceptualization could inform future interventions and policies aiming to foster TWB.