Investigating the relationship between commitment, well-being, and intentions to quit the profession

• Published in: 영어교육연구, 37(2) pp. 25 - 39
• Main Author: Ian Moodie
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 팬코리아영어교육학회 01.06.2025
• Subjects: 영어와문학
• ISSN: 1226-6566; 2671-9460

Teacher attrition remains a critical issue in education, yet few studies have examined it among language teachers. To address this gap, this study investigates how occupational well-being and three dimensions of occupational commitment (affective, normative, and continuance) relate to intentions to quit the profession among Korean public school English teachers (N = 86). Multiple regression analysis showed that affective commitment was the only significant predictor of quitting intentions (β =-0.52, p < .001), while well-being, normative commitment, continuance commitment, and demographic factors (age, gender, school level) were not statistically significant predictors. These results suggest that emotional attachment (i.e., affective commitment) to the profession is a stronger driver of teacher retention than workplace well-being among public school English teachers. This finding contrasts with prior research with expatriate English teachers in Asia, where well-being was a strong predictor of turnover intentions. Despite limitations due to sample size, the study highlights the need for retention strategies that cultivate affective commitment and thus offers practical implications for school leaders and policymakers. KCI Citation Count: 0