The mediating role of self-efficacy in the impact of sensory teaching resources on psychological stress among educators of children with hearing loss

Despite the increasing availability of sensory teaching resources for children with hearing impairments, educators (parents and special education teachers) commonly report low teaching efficacy and high psychological stress. Merely possessing resources may not alleviate stress; instead, its effects are mediated by individual cognition and moderated by contextual supports. This study is based on social cognitive theory and resource conservation theory and constructs a moderated mediation model to explore how sensory resource ownership affects psychological stress through resource use self-efficacy and overall teaching efficacy, and to examine the moderating effects of perceived ease of use, training experience, and social support. Data were collected from 331 Chinese parents and special education teachers of children with hearing impairments. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test direct and mediation paths. Bootstrap methods were applied for mediation and moderation analyses, and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) was employed to identify configurational pathways. Research has shown that sensory teaching resources cannot directly alleviate psychological stress; On the contrary, they exert influence through a chain mediated pathway of 'resources', which is further regulated by technological availability, system training, and social support. Educational practice should shift from a “resource-provision” approach to an “empowerment-oriented” strategy that integrates capability building with supportive systems to enhance educators’ psychological well-being and teaching confidence.