Family Support as a Buffer Against Job Burnout: Unpacking the Mediating Effect of Psychological Safety among Private University Administrators in China
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53797/anp.jssh.v6i2.2.2025Keywords:
Job Burnout, Family Support, Psychological Safety, Private University Administrators, Job Demands-Resources Model, Conservation of Resources TheoryAbstract
This research examines the role of family support in alleviating job burnout among private university administrators in China, with a focus on psychological safety as a mediating mechanism. Grounded in the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model and Conservation of Resources (COR) theory, the research suggests that family support, as an external resource, interacts with job demands to reduce burnout through psychological safety. Survey data from 200 administrators revealed no direct relationship between family support and burnout. However, psychological safety fully mediated this link: family support enhanced perceptions of psychological safety, which subsequently reduced burnout. The findings highlight the importance of institutionalizing family support systems and fostering psychologically safe work environments to mitigate burnout. The valuable insights for university management in designing interventions to improve administrator well-being and job performance are also offered in this research.
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