School principal support, and teachers’ work engagement and intention to leave: The role of psychological need satisfaction

Abstract

The study reported in this chapter contributes to understanding the retention of teachers by analysing the relationships between perceived school principal support, and teachers’ psychological need satisfaction, engagement and intention to leave. A total of 513 secondary school teachers in public schools in South Africa participated in a cross-sectional survey. The School Principal Behaviour Scale, Work-related Basic Need Satisfaction Scale, Work Engagement Scale and Intention to Leave Scale were administered. Principal support was positively related to teachers’ psychological need satisfaction and work engagement, and negatively related to intention to leave. Principal support affected work engagement positively and intention to leave negatively via teachers’ autonomy satisfaction.