A Research on the Level and Influencing Factors of Elementary and Secondary School Teachers’ Social-Emotional Competence

Teachers' social emotional competence refers to a set of core competencies related to adapting and developing socially in complex situations involving children and adults. It includes teachers' abilities to understand and regulate emotions, solve problems successfully, and behave appropriately in family, school, and social contexts. This competence plays an important role in promoting both teachers' personal growth and students' social emotional development. In this study, we surveyed 1,129 primary and secondary school teachers in Ganzhou City and found that while teachers' overall competence levels were high, development across various dimensions was uneven. Teaching experience had a stronger explanatory effect on teachers' social-emotional competence than academic qualifications or professional titles. Fostering a supportive school climate and providing specialized social-emotional competence training are important ways of facilitating the development of teachers' social-emotional competence. This can stimulate teachers' intrinsic motivations, arouse their desires for professional advancement, and ignite enthusiasm for teaching and educating.