Burnout and perceived work ability (PWA) are critical factors influencing teachers' professional well-being and effectiveness. The potential bidirectional relationship between these constructs remains underexplored, particularly in primary and lower secondary school teachers. This study examines the reciprocal relationship between burnout and PWA among teachers over time, using the job demands-resources (JD-R) model and the conservation of resources (COR) theory. A two-wave longitudinal study was conducted among 853 Czech primary and lower secondary school teachers. Data were collected via web-based questionnaires at two time points. Bayesian cross-lagged panel modeling (CLPM) was applied to analyze the bidirectional effects of burnout and PWA while controlling demographic variables. Burnout significantly predicted lower PWA, supporting the JD-R model's health impairment process. Contrary to expectations, higher PWA was associated with increased burnout, suggesting that PWA may not function as a protective factor in the teaching context, but rather as a risk factor increasing vulnerability to strain. Post hoc analyses indicated that burnout's detrimental influence on PWA emerged through several coherent facet-to-facet pathways, while in the reverse direction, only higher PWA in the teaching organization predicted later physical exhaustion. The study clarifies the directionality of associations between burnout and PWA, contributing to theory development and offering implications for interventions.

• Keywords
• burnout, conservation of resources theory, cross‐lagged panel modeling, job demands‐resources model, perceived work ability, work ability,
• MeSH
• Adult MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Longitudinal Studies MeSH
• Burnout, Professional * psychology   MeSH
• School Teachers * psychology   statistics & numerical data   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Adult MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Geographicals
• Czech Republic MeSH

INTRODUCTION: This study investigates the antecedents of perceived teacher work ability, a critical construct for addressing challenges associated with extending working lives and maintaining sustained professional engagement in the teaching profession. Grounded in the job demands-resources (JD-R) model, this cross-sectional study investigates the relationships between job demands (quantitative, cognitive, and emotional), job resources (supervisor support, coworker support, and autonomy), burnout, and work-life conflict in shaping perceived teacher work ability. METHODS: Data were obtained from 841 Czech primary and lower secondary school teachers (86.1% female) with a mean age of 45.9 years (SD = 10.8). The full SEM model was developed and estimated based on the proposed hypotheses. RESULTS: The findings suggest that burnout is the most significant antecedent of perceived teacher work ability, with quantitative and emotional job demands indirectly influencing it through burnout. While supervisor and coworker support directly enhance perceived teacher work ability, autonomy primarily alleviates quantitative and emotional job demands, thereby indirectly mitigating burnout. Work-life conflict partially mediates the relationship between job demands and burnout but does not directly impact perceived teacher work ability. DISCUSSION: These results contribute to a deeper understanding of the interplay between job demands, job resources, and burnout in enhancing teachers' capacity to meet the multifaceted demands of their profession effectively.

• Keywords
• job demands, job resources, perceived teacher work ability, teacher burnout, work ability, work-life conflict,
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH