Effect of Teachers' Emotional Intelligence on Emotional Blackmail at Work With Emotional Labor as the Mediating Variable and Burnout as the Moderating Variable

Abstract

The psychological well-being of teachers is essential in education, as it directly impacts teaching effectiveness and student outcomes. Recently, emotional blackmail has emerged as a critical concern for both physical and mental health, yet empirical studies on this topic, particularly among teachers, remain limited. Teaching is a profession characterized by intensive emotional labor, which can increase vulnerability to burnout. Teachers with lower emotional intelligence may struggle to manage the pressures associated with emotional blackmail, leading to heightened stress and a potential decline in job satisfaction. This study examines the relationships among emotional intelligence, emotional labor, job burnout, and emotional blackmail among teachers in Taiwan. Analyzing responses from 1160 participants using hierarchical regression, the findings reveal a significant negative correlation between emotional intelligence and perceived emotional blackmail (β = −0.167, p < 0.001), partially mediated by emotional labor and moderated by burnout. These insights underscore the need for targeted emotional intelligence training and burnout mitigation strategies to foster healthier educational environments. Further investigation into situational and contextual factors influencing teachers' emotional health is recommended to strengthen the study's implications for educational practice.