Job characteristics and work-to-home interference among university music teachers in Guangdong Province, China: The mediating role of job burnout

Abstract

This study aims to explore the relationship between job characteristics, job burnout, and work-to-home interference, particularly focusing on the influence mechanisms within the group of music teachers in universities in Guangdong Province, China. Based on the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model and the work-to-home interference theory, this study proposes and tests how job characteristics, such as job demands, decision latitude, supervisor support, and colleague support, influence work-to-home interference through emotional exhaustion and disengagement. A structured questionnaire survey was conducted, yielding 591 valid samples, and the relationships between variables were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The results indicate a significant positive correlation between high job demands and emotional exhaustion, disengagement, and work-to-home interference. In contrast, decision latitude, supervisor support, and colleague support significantly mitigate emotional exhaustion and disengagement, thereby reducing work-to-home interference. Furthermore, emotional exhaustion and disengagement play important mediating roles in the relationship between job demands, decision latitude, supervisor support, colleague support, and work-to-home interference. The study's conclusions provide theoretical foundations and practical insights for optimizing job characteristics in the education sector, supporting teachers' mental well-being, and developing work-life balance policies. The study's limitations include the regional sample restrictions and the cross-sectional design. Future research could expand the sample scope and adopt a longitudinal design to explore causal relationships.

Keywords: Job characteristics, job burnout, work-to-home interference, emotional exhaustion, disengagement, structural equation modeling.

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