Investigating the Attitudinal and Behavioral Consequences of Work-Life Balance Considering the Mediating Role of Psychological Contract Violation Among English Language Teachers

Background This study investigates the attitudinal and behavioral consequences of work-life balance (WLB) among teachers, focusing on the mediating role of psychological contract violation (PCV). Methods Employing an applied, descriptive-survey design with correlational analysis, the research targeted all English language teachers in Golestan province (N = 598). A simple random sample of 234 teachers was selected, yielding 152 usable questionnaires. Reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha, Average Variance Extracted (AVE), and composite reliability. Validity was evaluated through convergent and divergent analyses. Descriptive statistics were analyzed using SPSS, while inferential analyses were conducted via Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) using SmartPLS. Results Findings indicate that WLB is negatively associated with PCV (β = − 0.209) and turnover intention (β = − 0.386), and positively associated with task delay (β = 0.322) and job performance (β = 0.252). Additionally, PCV positively mediates the relationship with turnover intention (β = 0.366) and task delay (β = 0.325), and negatively mediates the relationship with job performance (β = − 0.339). Conclusion Enhancing work-life balance and reinforcing psychological contracts can mitigate negative outcomes among English teachers, leading to improved job performance and reduced turnover intentions.