The Impact of Psychological Safety and Perceived Organizational Support on Burnout Among Primary and Secondary School PE Teachers

This study grounded in the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model explores the impact of psychological safety (PS) and perceived organizational support (POS) on the burnout of primary and secondary school physical education (PE) teachers. The focus is placed on the mediating role of deep acting (DA) and the moderating role of mindfulness. Using three waves of longitudinal data from 1657 PE teachers across various provinces in China, the study employs block variables and response surface analysis (RSA) to examine how PS and POS reduce burnout through DA, particularly in the context of emotional exhaustion. The results indicate that PS and POS significantly alleviate emotional exhaustion, with DA serving as a partial mediator. Moreover, the study reveals a non-linear relationship between PS, POS, and DA, supporting the hypothesis that excessive resources may have adverse effects. Additionally, mindfulness significantly moderates the relationship between DA and burnout, strengthening deep acting’s mitigating effects on burnout. These findings provide a novel theoretical perspective on the mechanisms underlying teacher burnout and offer practical guidance for educational administrators. By enhancing teachers' PS, POS, and emotion management strategies, burnout can be effectively prevented.