When pre-service teachers’ lack of occupational commitment is not enough to explain intention to quit: Emotional intelligence matters! // Cuando la falta de compromiso ocupacional del profesorado novel no es suficiente para explicar la intención de abandono: ¡la inteligencia emocional importa!

Abstract

This study provided evidence on the moderator role of emotional intelligence in the relationship between occupational commitment and intention to quit teaching in a sample of 780 pre-service teachers. Results showed that occupational commitment and emotional intelligence jointly predicted variance of intention to quit teaching after controlling for sociodemographic factors and teacher self-efficacy beliefs. In particular, pre-service teachers with low occupational commitment and low emotional intelligence reported higher intentions to quit teaching than their counterparts with high levels of emotional intelligence. Findings also suggested appraisal of others’ emotions and use of emotions as the main emotional intelligence dimensions related with occupational commitment to explain intention to quit teaching. These findings may serve as a starting point for implementing training programs on emotional abilities aimed at promoting more positive attitudes toward teaching as a way of reducing the current teacher attrition crisis.