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Let Them Shine: Associations of Schools’ Support for Strengths Use with Teachers’ Sense of Meaning, Engagement, and Satisfaction

Author

Listed:
  • Shiri Lavy

    (Department of Leadership and Policy in Education, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel)

  • Marian Abu Ahmad

    (Department of Leadership and Policy in Education, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel)

  • Eman Naama

    (Department of Leadership and Policy in Education, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel)

Abstract

The present research builds on the psychology of sustainability and sustainable development and on research demonstrating the contribution of perceived organizational support for strengths use (POSSU) to the quality of employees’ work life. Specifically, we focus on teachers, whose training and development in schools often aim to narrow competence gaps and correct deficits. We propose that focusing on the development of their strengths may more positively impact their engagement, satisfaction, and sense of meaning at work. A total of 47 school principals (30 women; M age = 48.37, SD = 7.31) and 235 of their teachers (197 women; M age = 40.73, SD = 7.78) reported perceptions of their schools’ organizational support for strengths use (POSSU), and of their school support for deficit correction (POSDC). In addition, teachers completed measures of their strengths use, sense of meaning at work, work engagement, and job satisfaction. Teachers’ POSSU was associated (more strongly than POSDC) with teachers’ strength use and positive work-related well-being. Teachers’ strengths use mediated the associations of POSSU with the other variables. Principals’ POSSU was not associated with teachers’ POSSU or with teachers’ strengths use, but was associated with teachers’ sense of meaning and satisfaction at work. The findings highlight the potential benefits of a strengths-supporting school culture to teachers’ work-life quality.

Suggested Citation

  • Shiri Lavy & Marian Abu Ahmad & Eman Naama, 2024. "Let Them Shine: Associations of Schools’ Support for Strengths Use with Teachers’ Sense of Meaning, Engagement, and Satisfaction," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(9), pages 1-22, May.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:9:p:3832-:d:1387867
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Valesca Y. Tobias & Marianne Woerkom & Maria Christina Meyers & Piety Runhaar & Arnold B. Bakker, 2023. "Thriving on Strengths: Effects of a Strengths Intervention for Younger and Older Teachers," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 24(3), pages 1121-1144, March.
    2. Shiri Lavy, 2020. "A Review of Character Strengths Interventions in Twenty-First-Century Schools: their Importance and How they can be Fostered," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 15(2), pages 573-596, April.
    3. Timo Lorenz & Kathrin Heinitz & Clemens Beer & Marianne van Woerkom, 2021. "Adaptation and validation of a German version of the Strengths Use and Deficit Correction (SUDCO) questionnaire," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(1), pages 1-18, January.
    4. Alessio Gori & Eleonora Topino & Andrea Svicher & Annamaria Di Fabio, 2022. "Towards Meaning in Life: A Path Analysis Exploring the Mediation of Career Adaptability in the Associations of Self-Esteem with Presence of Meaning and Search for Meaning," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-12, September.
    5. Maria Christina Meyers & Dorien Kooij & Brigitte Kroon & Renee Reuver & Marianne Woerkom, 2020. "Organizational Support for Strengths Use, Work Engagement, and Contextual Performance: The Moderating Role of Age," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 15(2), pages 485-502, April.
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