Does self-efficacy help enough? Quantitative analyses of Swiss school principals’ commitment and work overload based on the job demands-resources model

Abstract

This study aims to examine what factors predict school-related commitment and work overload of school principals. The job demands-resources model served as a theoretical underpinning defining self-efficacy as a personal resource and extension of working time as a job demand. Structural equation modelling analysis based on 1095 school principals from the German-speaking part of Switzerland revealed that work overload significantly mediated the relationship between self-efficacy as well as extension of working time and school-related commitment. Extension of working time had a significant and negative effect on work overload but only an indirect effect on commitment through the negative effect of work overload on commitment. Self-efficacy had a significant negative effect on work overload and a significant and positive impact on commitment. However, a moderation analysis showed that self-efficacy could not buffer the negative effect of extension of working time on work overload. These findings provide important practical implications for stress prevention for school principals: it is not only important to strengthen the self-efficacy of school principals to avoid work overload and ensure a sustainable commitment for the school, time management training and a reduction of working hours are also relevant.