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Self-Compassion Mediates the Associations of Mindfulness with Physical, Psychological, and Occupational Well-Being among Chinese Kindergarten Teachers

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Title: Self-Compassion Mediates the Associations of Mindfulness with Physical, Psychological, and Occupational Well-Being among Chinese Kindergarten Teachers
Language: English
Authors: Tuen Yung Leung (ORCID 0009-0009-0671-5756), Chun Bun Lam, Kevin Kien Hoa Chung
Source: Early Childhood Education Journal. 2026 54(1):307-316.
Availability: Springer. Available from: Springer Nature. One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, NY 10004. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-460-1700; e-mail: customerservice@springernature.com; Web site: https://link.springer.com/
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 10
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Early Childhood Education
Preschool Education
Elementary Education
Kindergarten
Primary Education
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Preschool Teachers, Kindergarten, Preschool Education, Altruism, Metacognition, Well Being, Physical Health, Mental Health, Teaching Conditions, Job Satisfaction, Correlation, Life Satisfaction
Geographic Terms: Hong Kong
Assessment and Survey Identifiers: Satisfaction With Life Scale, Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale
DOI: 10.1007/s10643-024-01819-1
ISSN: 1082-3301
1573-1707
Abstract: As the caregivers and educators of young children, kindergarten teachers often have to make spontaneous decisions and deal with challenging situations on a daily basis. The well-being of kindergarten teachers is of interest to parents, teacher trainers, and policymakers, as whether kindergarten teachers do well physically, psychologically, and occupationally has important implications for young children--the future pillars of society. Therefore, it is important to examine factors that may contribute to our understanding of the well-being of kindergarten teachers. This cross-sectional study examined whether mindfulness was linked to Chinese kindergarten teachers' physical, psychological, and occupational well-being and tested self-compassion as a mediator. Online questionnaire data were collected from 336 kindergarten teachers working in Hong Kong, China (mean age = 31.6 years; 86% of them were women). Kindergarten teachers rated their physical well-being (indicated by physical health and voice disorder symptoms), psychological well-being (indicated by life satisfaction and depressive symptoms), and occupational well-being (indicated by job satisfaction and turnover intentions) as well as their mindfulness and self-compassion. Structural equational modeling revealed that mindfulness was associated with all three aspects of well-being and self-compassion mediated such associations. Theoretically, findings highlighted the multidimensional nature of kindergarten teachers' well-being and the roles of intrapersonal factors--such as mindfulness and self-compassion--in understanding it. Practically, findings pointed to the potential utility of supporting kindergarten teachers' well-being by targeting their mindfulness and self-compassion.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1503956
Database: ERIC
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  Value: <anid>AN0191072492;5mx01jan.26;2026Jan27.05:19;v2.2.500</anid> <title id="AN0191072492-1">Self-Compassion Mediates the Associations of Mindfulness with Physical, Psychological, and Occupational Well-Being Among Chinese Kindergarten Teachers </title> <p>As the caregivers and educators of young children, kindergarten teachers often have to make spontaneous decisions and deal with challenging situations on a daily basis. The well-being of kindergarten teachers is of interest to parents, teacher trainers, and policymakers, as whether kindergarten teachers do well physically, psychologically, and occupationally has important implications for young children—the future pillars of society. Therefore, it is important to examine factors that may contribute to our understanding of the well-being of kindergarten teachers. This cross-sectional study examined whether mindfulness was linked to Chinese kindergarten teachers' physical, psychological, and occupational well-being and tested self-compassion as a mediator. Online questionnaire data were collected from 336 kindergarten teachers working in Hong Kong, China (mean age = 31.6 years; 86% of them were women). Kindergarten teachers rated their physical well-being (indicated by physical health and voice disorder symptoms), psychological well-being (indicated by life satisfaction and depressive symptoms), and occupational well-being (indicated by job satisfaction and turnover intentions) as well as their mindfulness and self-compassion. Structural equational modeling revealed that mindfulness was associated with all three aspects of well-being and self-compassion mediated such associations. Theoretically, findings highlighted the multidimensional nature of kindergarten teachers' well-being and the roles of intrapersonal factors—such as mindfulness and self-compassion—in understanding it. Practically, findings pointed to the potential utility of supporting kindergarten teachers' well-being by targeting their mindfulness and self-compassion.</p> <p>Keywords: Mindfulness; Self-compassion; Physical well-being; Psychological well-being; Occupational well-being; Chinese kindergarten teachers; Psychology and Cognitive Sciences Psychology Medical and Health Sciences Public Health and Health Services</p> <p>Portions of this article were presented at The Education University of Hong Kong's International Conference for Research in Early Childhood Education, June 2024.</p> <p>As noted by the Select Panel for the Promotion of Child Health ([<reflink idref="bib47" id="ref1">47</reflink>]), "children are one-third of our population and all of our future." Therefore, as the caregivers and educators of young children, kindergarten teachers play an irreplaceable role in maintaining the generativity of society. Extensive research has indicated that the well-being of kindergarten teachers has important implications for their students' development (Smith & Lawrence, [<reflink idref="bib50" id="ref2">50</reflink>]). Although prior studies have documented the links between mindfulness and well-being among human service professionals (Harker et al., [<reflink idref="bib16" id="ref3">16</reflink>]), whether and how mindfulness may contribute to the well-being of teachers remains underexplored. Also, most research on teachers' well-being has been centered around the experiences of primary and secondary school teachers (Hascher & Waber, [<reflink idref="bib17" id="ref4">17</reflink>]). Compared to primary and secondary school teachers, kindergarten teachers often face higher expectations to address both whole-child development and subject-specific mastery, typically in close collaboration with parents. Therefore, the well-being of kindergarten teachers may be at particular risk. Existing literature points to the roles of intrapersonal factors (Hobfoll et al., [<reflink idref="bib18" id="ref5">18</reflink>]), such as mindfulness and self-compassion (Van Der Donk et al., [<reflink idref="bib53" id="ref6">53</reflink>]), in understanding the well-being of employees. Therefore, the goal of this present study was to use cross-sectional, online questionnaire data to examine whether mindfulness was associated with Chinese kindergarten teachers' physical, psychological, and occupational well-being and tested self-compassion as a mediator in such associations.</p> <hd id="AN0191072492-2">Mindfulness and Well-being</hd> <p>Mindfulness refers to individuals' ability to direct their attention to the present moment experiences and be aware of their immediate feelings and thoughts in curious and non-judgmental manners (Brown et al., [<reflink idref="bib6" id="ref7">6</reflink>]). Conceptually, mindfulness may contribute to physical and psychological well-being, as it promotes acceptance and informed regulation and reduces agitation and mindless reactivity (Shapiro et al., [<reflink idref="bib48" id="ref8">48</reflink>]). Mindfulness may also contribute to the occupational well-being of employees, especially those working in stressful environments, as mindfulness may protect employees against work stress and help them accumulate career resources, such as persistence and resilience (Zivnuska et al., [<reflink idref="bib58" id="ref9">58</reflink>]). Indeed, empirical studies have linked mindfulness to physical, psychological, and occupational well-being (Beuchel et al., [<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref10">2</reflink>]; Murphy et al., [<reflink idref="bib34" id="ref11">34</reflink>]; Pan et al., [<reflink idref="bib39" id="ref12">39</reflink>]).</p> <p> <emph>Physical well-being</emph> refers to the state of physical health and body vitality and the lack of physical symptoms and health-related issues (Glajchen, [<reflink idref="bib14" id="ref13">14</reflink>]). Mindfulness may promote physical well-being by facilitating stress management, reducing the allostatic load on the body, and preempting stress-related diseases (Reive, [<reflink idref="bib44" id="ref14">44</reflink>]). Previous research has documented a positive relationship between mindfulness and physical well-being. For example, in a cross-sectional study with female U.S. college students, mindfulness was associated with general physical health (Murphy et al., [<reflink idref="bib34" id="ref15">34</reflink>]). Also, in a cross-sectional study based on a representative sample drawn from the U.S., mindfulness was linked with a lower likelihood of obesity and healthier plasma glucose levels (Loucks et al., [<reflink idref="bib29" id="ref16">29</reflink>]). Furthermore, in an experimental study with voice disorder patients from the U.S., promoting mindfulness improved voice functioning (Brown et al., [<reflink idref="bib7" id="ref17">7</reflink>]). Therefore, more mindful kindergarten teachers may experience better health and fewer physical symptoms.</p> <p> <emph>Psychological well-being</emph> refers to the state of mental health and the absence of psychological symptoms (Dhanabhakyam & Sarath, [<reflink idref="bib10" id="ref18">10</reflink>]), indicated by, for example, higher levels of life satisfaction and positive emotions and lower levels of psychological distress and negative affect. As mindfulness cultivates curious attentiveness to and non-judgmental awareness of the present moment, it may help individuals savor positive experiences and deal with negative ones, which in turn may promote psychological well-being (Keng et al., [<reflink idref="bib23" id="ref19">23</reflink>]). Prior studies have linked mindfulness to psychological well-being: In a cross-sectional study with university faculty members from China, mindfulness was negatively correlated with emotional exhaustion (Bi & Ye, [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref20">3</reflink>]). Moreover, in a cross-sectional study with kindergarten teachers from China, mindfulness was associated with subjective well-being (Pan et al., [<reflink idref="bib39" id="ref21">39</reflink>]). Furthermore, in an experimental study with U.S. middle school teachers, promoting mindfulness reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression (Roeser et al., [<reflink idref="bib46" id="ref22">46</reflink>]). Therefore, more mindful kindergarten teachers may experience better mental well-being and lower psychological distress.</p> <p> <emph>Occupational well-being</emph> refers to positive feelings, thoughts, and behaviors that may contribute to job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and work productivity (Klusmann et al., [<reflink idref="bib24" id="ref23">24</reflink>]). Being mindful at work can help employees stay focused, manage work stress, and accrue career resources, such as persistence, resilience, and emotional regulation, which in turn may help employees manage job demands and improve work outcomes (Zivnuska et al., [<reflink idref="bib58" id="ref24">58</reflink>]). Empirical evidence indicates that mindfulness may be relevant to occupational well-being. For example, in a cross-sectional study with Chinese kindergarten teachers, mindfulness was associated with higher senses of capability and higher job satisfaction (Song et al., [<reflink idref="bib51" id="ref25">51</reflink>]). Furthermore, in a longitudinal study with U.S. middle school teachers, mindfulness was associated with lower job stress and fewer symptoms of occupational burnout (Braun et al., [<reflink idref="bib5" id="ref26">5</reflink>]). Finally, in an experimental study with U.S. middle school teachers, increasing mindfulness led to higher job satisfaction (Beuchel et al., [<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref27">2</reflink>]). Therefore, more mindful kindergarten teachers may have higher job satisfaction and lower intentions to quit.</p> <p>Taken together, based on theory and research, we expected that mindfulness would be positively associated with physical, psychological, and occupational well-being among Chinese kindergarten teachers. Increasing evidence suggests that teachers' well-being is best understood holistically as a multidimensional construct (Kwon, [<reflink idref="bib26" id="ref28">26</reflink>]). Therefore, we opted to use multiple indicators to assess multiple aspects of well-being. Specifically, we used physical health and voice disorder symptoms to indicate physical well-being, given that self-perceptions of overall health are moderately associated with objective evaluation of physical status (Krause & Jay, [<reflink idref="bib25" id="ref29">25</reflink>]) and that voice disorders are more commonly reported among teachers than other human service professionals (Vertanen-Greis et al., [<reflink idref="bib54" id="ref30">54</reflink>]). Moreover, we used life satisfaction and depressive symptoms to indicate the state of mental health and the absence of psychological symptoms, respectively (Dhanabhakyam & Sarath, [<reflink idref="bib10" id="ref31">10</reflink>]), as these two measures are the most commonly used measures of psychological well-being in the literature (Joshanloo, [<reflink idref="bib22" id="ref32">22</reflink>]). Finally, we used job satisfaction and turnover intentions to indicate occupational well-being, as they are more distal, overarching indicators that can reflect more proximal, specific indicators, such as job demands and job resources (Nielsen & Madsen, [<reflink idref="bib38" id="ref33">38</reflink>]).</p> <hd id="AN0191072492-3">Self-Compassion as a Mediator</hd> <p>Self-compassion refers to individuals' kind, caring, accepting, and even forgiving attitudes toward themselves, especially when they experience psychological pain, difficult circumstances, or personal failures (Neff, [<reflink idref="bib35" id="ref34">35</reflink>]). Self-compassion may contribute to physical well-being; as argued by Gilbert ([<reflink idref="bib13" id="ref35">13</reflink>]), self-compassion may activate the oxytocin–opiate system, reduce the body's threat responses, and mitigate the prolonged release of stress hormones. Indeed, a recent meta-analysis has documented significant associations of self-compassion with fewer physical symptoms, improved pain management, better physical fitness, and more health-promoting behaviors (Phillips & Hine, [<reflink idref="bib41" id="ref36">41</reflink>]).</p> <p>Self-compassion may contribute to psychological well-being as well. As self-compassion fosters self-connections and feelings of love for the self, it may reduce self-criticism, diminish negative thoughts, and promote psychological well-being (Gilbert, [<reflink idref="bib13" id="ref37">13</reflink>]). Corroborating such views, studies have linked self-compassion to fewer depressive symptoms and intrusive thoughts, less rumination over mistakes and imperfections, and more positive emotions and higher satisfaction with life (Marsh et al., [<reflink idref="bib30" id="ref38">30</reflink>]).</p> <p>Finally, self-compassion may contribute to occupational well-being. Self-compassionate individuals often show more adaptive coping and higher resilience in the face of stress (Yip et al., [<reflink idref="bib57" id="ref39">57</reflink>]). Therefore, employees with higher self-compassion may show more flexibility, higher persistence, and better performance. For example, prior studies have indicated that self-compassion may be associated with higher persistence at work, higher job satisfaction, and lower turnover intentions (Reizer, [<reflink idref="bib45" id="ref40">45</reflink>]). Furthermore, experimental evidence suggests that promoting self-compassion may reduce work-related depletion, increase occupational self-esteem, and improve work productivity (Jennings et al., [<reflink idref="bib21" id="ref41">21</reflink>]).</p> <p>It is important to note that individuals with high levels of mindfulness often report higher levels of self-compassion (Fulton, [<reflink idref="bib12" id="ref42">12</reflink>]). Mindfulness encourages individuals to observe the current state of the self in attentive and nonjudgmental ways. The attentiveness to oneself and the acceptability of one's mistakes and imperfections may be integral to cultivating a self-compassionate attitude (Golden et al., [<reflink idref="bib15" id="ref43">15</reflink>]; Neff & Dahm, [<reflink idref="bib36" id="ref44">36</reflink>]). Indeed, mindfulness training has been proven to boost individuals' self-compassion (Roeser et al., [<reflink idref="bib46" id="ref45">46</reflink>]). Importantly, self-compassion has been theorized as a mediating pathway through which mindfulness promotes well-being (Voci et al., [<reflink idref="bib55" id="ref46">55</reflink>]). Research has also found that self-compassion partially mediates the relationships of mindfulness with physical fatigue among Chinese psychological therapists (Yip et al., [<reflink idref="bib57" id="ref47">57</reflink>]), with psychological well-being among Canadian undergraduate students (Hollis-Walker & Colosimo, [<reflink idref="bib19" id="ref48">19</reflink>]), and with compassion towards others among U.S. adults (Fulton, [<reflink idref="bib12" id="ref49">12</reflink>]). To our best knowledge, however, few studies have examined self-compassion as a mediator in the association between mindfulness and occupational well-being, not to mention among teachers. Based on theory and research, we expected that self-compassion would mediate the associations of mindfulness with physical, psychological, and occupational well-being among Chinese kindergarten teachers.</p> <hd id="AN0191072492-4">The Present Study</hd> <p>To recap, the present study examined the concurrent associations of mindfulness with physical, psychological, and occupational well-being using online questionnaire data collected from Chinese kindergarten teachers. It also tested self-compassion as a mediator (Fig. 1). We controlled for teachers' gender, age, and work experiences, as they were likely to link to their intrapersonal factors and well-being in the literature (Hascher & Waber, [<reflink idref="bib17" id="ref50">17</reflink>]; Shaukat et al., [<reflink idref="bib49" id="ref51">49</reflink>]).</p> <hd id="AN0191072492-5">Method</hd> <p></p> <hd id="AN0191072492-6">Participants and Procedures</hd> <p>Participants were 336 full-time kindergarten teachers working in Hong Kong, China. To recruit participants, we sent an online poster, which detailed the aims and procedures of the study, to all in-service kindergarten teachers studying in a public university in Hong Kong. The university has been training kindergarten teachers for decades and has trained more than 80% of all early childhood educators in Hong Kong. The online poster was also posted on education-related forums and social media platforms. Clicking on the poster would direct potential participants to the study's questionnaire page. After providing informed consent, participants rated questions on their work experiences, intrapersonal characteristics, and physical, psychological, and occupational adjustment. Upon completing the questionnaire, each participant was given a supermarket coupon of HK$50 (about US$6.5) as a token of appreciation. The procedures were approved by the university's Human Research Ethics Committee.</p> <p>The mean age of participants was 31.6 years (<emph>SD</emph> = 21.2), and most of them were female (82%). Participants varied in their years of working experiences in early childhood education, with 3%, 49%, 22%, and 31% of them having worked in kindergartens for less than 1 year, 1–5 years, 5–10 years, and more than 10 years, respectively.</p> <hd id="AN0191072492-7">Measures</hd> <p>Two translators independently forward and backward translated the measures from English to Chinese. A third translator then checked the work, resolved the discrepancies, and finalized the Chinese items. Ratings for each measure were averaged, such that higher scores indicated higher levels of the construct.</p> <p> <emph>Mindfulness</emph> was assessed using the 10-item Cognitive and Affective Mindfulness Scale-Revised (Feldman et al., [<reflink idref="bib11" id="ref52">11</reflink>]). On a 5-point scale ranging from 1 (<emph>Never</emph>) to 5 (<emph>Always</emph>), teachers rated their ability to attend to the present moment experiences and accept their immediate thoughts and feelings (e.g., "I am able to pay close attention to one thing for a long period of time," "It is easy for me to keep track of my thoughts and feelings"). Cronbach's alpha was 0.84.</p> <p> <emph>Self-compassion</emph> was assessed using the 12-item Self-Compassion Scale Short Form (Raes et al., [<reflink idref="bib43" id="ref53">43</reflink>]). On a 5-point scale ranging from 1 (<emph>Never</emph>) to 5 (<emph>Always</emph>), teachers rated their tendency to show self-compassion in difficult situations (e.g., "When something painful happens, I try to take a balanced view of the situation," "When I'm going through a very hard time, I give myself the caring and tenderness I need"). Cronbach's alpha was 0.79.</p> <p> <emph>Physical health</emph> was assessed using the 5-item Health Survey (Short Form) from the Medical Outcomes Study (McHorney et al., [<reflink idref="bib31" id="ref54">31</reflink>]). On a 5-point scale ranging from 1 (<emph>Strongly Disagree</emph>) to 5 (<emph>Strongly Agree</emph>), teachers rated their health conditions (e.g., "My health is excellent," "I am as healthy as anybody I know"). Cronbach's alpha was 0.90.</p> <p> <emph>Voice disorder symptoms</emph> were assessed using the 12-item Voice Disorder Survey (Lee et al., [<reflink idref="bib27" id="ref55">27</reflink>]). On a 2-point scale ranging from 0 (<emph>No</emph>) to 1 (<emph>Yes</emph>), teachers rated whether they had experienced different voice disorder symptoms, such as "throat pain" and "hoarse voice." Cronbach's alpha was 0.96.</p> <p> <emph>Life satisfaction</emph> was assessed using the 5-item Satisfaction With Life Scale (Pavot & Diener, [<reflink idref="bib40" id="ref56">40</reflink>]). On a 7-point scale ranging from 1 (<emph>Strongly Disagree</emph>) to 7 (<emph>Strongly Agree</emph>), teachers rated whether they were content with their lives (e.g., "I am satisfied with my life," "The conditions of my life are excellent"). Cronbach's alpha was 0.91.</p> <p> <emph>Depressive symptoms</emph> were assessed using the 12-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (Radloff, [<reflink idref="bib42" id="ref57">42</reflink>]). On a 4-point scale ranging from 1 (<emph>Not At All Or Less Than 1 Day A Week</emph>) to 4 (<emph>5–7 Days A Week</emph>), teachers rated their depressive symptoms (e.g., "I feel depressed," "I think my life has been a failure"). Cronbach's alpha was 0.92.</p> <p> <emph>Job satisfaction</emph> was assessed using the 6-item Job Satisfaction Scale (Tsui et al., [<reflink idref="bib52" id="ref58">52</reflink>]). On a 5-point scale ranging from 1 (<emph>Strongly Disagree</emph>) to 5 (<emph>Strongly Agree</emph>), teachers rated whether they were happy with their jobs (e.g., "How satisfied are you with the nature of the work you perform?" "Considering everything, how satisfied are you with your current job situation?"). Cronbach's alpha was 0.89.</p> <p> <emph>Turnover intentions</emph> were assessed using the turnover intentions subscale from the Michigan Organizational Assessment Questionnaire (Mowday et al., [<reflink idref="bib32" id="ref59">32</reflink>]). On a 5-point scale ranging from 1 (<emph>Strongly Disagree</emph>) to 5 (<emph>Strongly Agree</emph>), teachers rated their intentions to leave their jobs (e.g., "I will actively look for a new job in the next year," "I often think about quitting teaching"). Cronbach's alpha was 0.86.</p> <p>Demographic information, such as gender, age, and years of teaching experiences, was also collected.</p> <hd id="AN0191072492-8">Data Analyses</hd> <p>Analyses were conducted in two steps. First, we used SPSS 28 to compute the means and standard deviations of and correlations among variables of interest. Second, we used Jamovi Statistical Data Analysis 2.3.28 to test structural equational models, examining if self-compassion mediated the associations of mindfulness with physical well-being (indicated by physical health and voice disorder symptoms), psychological well-being (indicated by life satisfaction and depressive symptoms), and occupational well-being (indicated by job satisfaction and turnover intentions), controlling for gender, age, and years of teaching experiences. We evaluated the model-data fit with the Chi-square (<emph>χ</emph><sups>2</sups>), Comparative Fit Index (CFI), Tucker Lewis Index (TLI), Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA), and Standardized Root Mean Square Residual (SRMR). Based on the recommendations by Hu and Bentler ([<reflink idref="bib20" id="ref60">20</reflink>]), CFI and TLI values close to 0.95, RMSEA values close to 0.06, and SRMR values close to 0.08 indicate a good fit between the observed data and the hypothesized model.</p> <hd id="AN0191072492-9">Results</hd> <p>Table 1 shows the means and standard deviations of and correlations among substantive variables. Consistent with our expectations, mindfulness was correlated positively with physical health, life satisfaction, and job satisfaction (<emph>r</emph>s ranging from 0.49 to 0.54, <emph>p</emph>s < 0.001) and negatively with voice disorder symptoms, depressive symptoms, and turnover intentions (<emph>r</emph>s ranging from − 0.51 to − 0.36, <emph>p</emph>s < 0.001). Moreover, mindfulness was correlated positively with self-compassion (<emph>r</emph>s = 0.62, <emph>p</emph>s < 0.001), and self-compassion was correlated positively with physical health, life satisfaction, and job satisfaction (<emph>r</emph>s ranging from 0.49 to 0.57, <emph>p</emph>s < 0.001) and negatively with voice disorder symptoms, depressive symptoms, and turnover intentions (<emph>r</emph>s ranging from − 0.68 to − 0.42, <emph>p</emph>s < 0.001).</p> <p>Table 2 shows the standardized coefficients of direct and indirect effects of the hypothesized structural equational model. Results indicated that self-compassion mediated the associations of mindfulness with physical well-being (<emph>β</emph> = 0.29, <emph>SE</emph> = 0.08, <emph>p</emph> <.001, 95% CI = [0.20, 0.38]), psychological well-being (<emph>β</emph> = 0.38, <emph>SE</emph> = 0.10, <emph>p</emph> <.001, 95% CI = [0.30, 0.47]), and occupational well-being (<emph>β</emph> = 0.25, <emph>SE</emph> = 0.07, <emph>p</emph> <.001, 95% CI = [0.15, 0.34]). It is worth noting that the direct paths from mindfulness to the three latent variables of well-being remained significant even when self-compassion was included in the model (<emph>β</emph>s = 0.25-0.33, <emph>SE</emph>s = 0.13-0.17, <emph>p</emph>s < 0.01). Therefore, the mediation of self-compassion was partial. Overall, our model demonstrated an excellent fit with the data: <emph>χ</emph><sups>2</sups>(<reflink idref="bib24" id="ref61">24</reflink>) = 63.1, <emph>p</emph> <.001, CFI = 0.98, TLI = 0.94; RMSEA = 0.07; SRMR = 0.04. Also, the model explained 51%, 65%, and 44% of the variance in physical, psychological, and occupational well-being, respectively, indicating large effect sizes (Cohen, [<reflink idref="bib8" id="ref62">8</reflink>]).</p> <hd id="AN0191072492-10">Discussion</hd> <p>This study examined the concurrent associations of mindfulness with physical, psychological, and occupational well-being among Chinese kindergarten teachers in Hong Kong and tested self-compassion as a mediator. These associations had been less well-studied among kindergarten teachers, compared to other human service professionals (Harker et al., [<reflink idref="bib16" id="ref63">16</reflink>]) and even primary and secondary school teachers (White, [<reflink idref="bib56" id="ref64">56</reflink>]). Consistent with the literature (Lomas et al., [<reflink idref="bib28" id="ref65">28</reflink>]), our results indicated that mindfulness was linked to all three indices of well-being among kindergarten teachers—a profession that plays a crucial role in nurturing young children and maintaining the generativity of society (Select Panel for the Promotion of Child Health, [<reflink idref="bib47" id="ref66">47</reflink>]). Moreover, expanding on prior work (Voci et al., [<reflink idref="bib55" id="ref67">55</reflink>]; Yip et al., [<reflink idref="bib57" id="ref68">57</reflink>]), our results indicated that self-compassion mediated the link between mindfulness and well-being. Theoretically, our findings pointed to the multidimensional nature of kindergarten teachers' well-being and the roles of intrapersonal factors in understanding it. Practically, our findings highlighted the potential utility of supporting kindergarten teachers' well-being by targeting their mindfulness and self-compassion.</p> <hd id="AN0191072492-11">Mindfulness was Linked to Physical, Psychological, and Occupational Well-being</hd> <p>Theorists have argued that mindfulness may promote employees' physical, psychological, and occupational well-being, such as by helping them better deal with stress and manage allostatic loads (Reive, [<reflink idref="bib44" id="ref69">44</reflink>]), savor positive experiences and deal with negative ones (Keng et al., [<reflink idref="bib23" id="ref70">23</reflink>]), and handle work demands and accumulate career resources (Zivnuska et al., [<reflink idref="bib58" id="ref71">58</reflink>]). Indeed, studies have indicated that more mindful workers report better health conditions and fewer physical symptoms (Loucks et al., [<reflink idref="bib29" id="ref72">29</reflink>]), experience higher subjective well-being and lower anxiety and depression (Roeser et al., [<reflink idref="bib46" id="ref73">46</reflink>]), and have a higher sense of capability and higher job satisfaction (Beuchel et al., [<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref74">2</reflink>]; Song et al., [<reflink idref="bib51" id="ref75">51</reflink>]). Our study added to the existing literature by focusing on kindergarten teachers and using multiple indicators to operationalize their well-being. In particular, our inclusion of indicators of physical well-being, which had been less commonly studied in prior research on teachers' well-being, provided important insights into the working experiences of Chinese kindergarten teachers.</p> <p>Kindergarten teachers in our study reported moderate-to-high levels of physical health (mean = 3.42 on a scale of 1–5). However, over 80% of them reported such symptoms as dry throat (88%), throat pain (88%), hoarseness (82%), or a tired voice (81%). Furthermore, over 60% of them reported such symptoms as frequent throat clearing (75%), voice getting low (70%), restricted pitch (67%), strained voice (65%), and increased efforts (65%). Finally, about 50% of them reported such symptoms as losing their voices (49%), experiencing voice breaks (52%), and having a soft voice (56%). The high prevalence of voice-related issues documented in our study was aligned with those reported by other researchers (Vertanen-Greis et al., [<reflink idref="bib54" id="ref76">54</reflink>]). In addition to facilitating better stress management and lowering the allostatic load (Reive, [<reflink idref="bib44" id="ref77">44</reflink>]), mindfulness may contribute to fewer voice disorder symptoms among teachers by helping them build positive relationships with children, which reduces the need for teachers to speak loudly or repeatedly about rules and misbehaviors (Becker et al., [<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref78">1</reflink>]). More research is needed, and the future challenge is to go beyond speculation and test whether a more amicable teacher-child relationship may explain the relationship between mindfulness and physical well-being among kindergarten teachers.</p> <hd id="AN0191072492-12">Self-Compassion Mediated the Link of Mindfulness with Well-Being</hd> <p>As noted, previous studies have linked mindfulness to specific domains of well-being of teachers and other human service professionals (Harker et al., [<reflink idref="bib16" id="ref79">16</reflink>]). Our study extended this work by showing that self-compassion partially mediated the associations of mindfulness with physical, psychological, and occupational well-being among kindergarten teachers. Noteworthily, the direct paths from mindfulness to the three latent variables of well-being remained significant, suggesting that self-compassion was only part of the picture. Future investigators should examine what other possible mediators—such as social relationships (Becker et al., [<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref80">1</reflink>]), emotional intelligence (Pan et al., [<reflink idref="bib39" id="ref81">39</reflink>]), and psychological capital (Bi & Ye, [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref82">3</reflink>])—may explain the association between mindfulness and well-being. Similarly, our model explained only portions of variance in physical, psychological, and occupational well-being, suggesting that the well-being of kindergarten teachers varies as a function of factors other than mindfulness and self-compassion. Emerging evidence suggests that intrapersonal, interpersonal, and organizational factors may be uniquely linked to kindergarten teachers' well-being (Smith & Lawrence, [<reflink idref="bib50" id="ref83">50</reflink>]). Future investigators should examine the distinct roles of different factors in understanding different aspects of kindergarten teachers' well-being.</p> <p>Our findings have important practical implications. In order to promote the well-being of kindergarten teachers, teacher trainers and policymakers may consider incorporating mindfulness and self-compassion training into pre-service teacher training programmes and in-service teacher professional development programmes. The training may involve such activities as mindful breathing, body scanning, and self- and other-kindness expression exercises (Bi & Ye, [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref84">3</reflink>]). The training may also involve more formal mindfulness-based interventions (e.g., the Mindful Self-Compassion Programme; Neff & Germer, [<reflink idref="bib37" id="ref85">37</reflink>]). More generally, mindfulness training and self-compassion exercises may be used to promote mindfulness and self-compassion in kindergartens to build a more positive school culture.</p> <hd id="AN0191072492-13">Limitations and Future Directions</hd> <p>This study was not without limitations. First, we recruited participants by emailing in-service kindergarten teachers studying in one university and advertising the study via education-related forums and social media platforms. Although the university has trained more than 80% of all early childhood educators in Hong Kong, how generalizable our findings were to the population of interest may remain unclear. Given time and resource constraints, we were not able to verify the identities of our participants by, for example, asking them to provide written proofs from their employers. Therefore, an important direction for future research is to use a random sampling method to recruit a representative sample of kindergarten teachers through actual kindergartens to retest our hypotheses. Second, given that the predictor and outcome variables of this study were based exclusively on self-administered questionnaires, our data might have been affected by self-report bias and our findings, common method variance (Bodner, [<reflink idref="bib4" id="ref86">4</reflink>]). Additional studies should use multiple methods and multiple informants to triangulate constructs (e.g., using both subjective and objective measures to assess physical well-being) and to link variables assessed using one method or one informant (e.g., self-reports of mindfulness using questionnaires) to variables assessed using another method or another informant (e.g., independent observations of teachers' teaching performance).</p> <p>Third, prior theory and research had motivated us to examine the roles of mindfulness and self-compassion in understanding well-being (Voci et al., [<reflink idref="bib55" id="ref87">55</reflink>]), but our cross-sectional design hugely limited our ability to draw causal conclusions. One alternative explanation of our findings, for example, was that better adjusted kindergarten teachers were more mindful and had more compassion for themselves (De Stasio et al., [<reflink idref="bib9" id="ref88">9</reflink>]; Moyano et al., [<reflink idref="bib33" id="ref89">33</reflink>]), a reverse causality explanation. Future researchers should use longitudinal designs to examine if mindfulness may sequentially predict self-compassion and well-being among kindergarten teachers. Future researchers should also use experimental designs to examine if boosting the mindfulness of kindergarten teachers may improve their self-compassion and well-being.</p> <p>In the face of these limitations, our study represented one of the first attempts to examine the roles of both mindfulness and self-compassion in understanding Chinese kindergarten teachers' well-being. On a theoretical level, our findings highlighted the importance of using a multidimensional approach to conceptualize kindergarten teachers' well-being and the relevance of intrapersonal factors to understanding it. On a practical level, our findings pointed to the potential utility of promoting kindergarten teachers' well-being by promoting their mindfulness and self-compassion.</p> <p>Table 1 Means (Ms) and standard deviations (SDs) of and correlations among variables</p> <p> <ephtml> <table rules="groups"><thead><tr><th align="left" /><th align="left"><p>Ms</p></th><th align="left"><p>SDs</p></th><th align="left"><p>1</p></th><th align="left"><p>2</p></th><th align="left"><p>3</p></th><th align="left"><p>4</p></th><th align="left"><p>5</p></th><th align="left"><p>6</p></th><th align="left"><p>7</p></th><th align="left"><p>8</p></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td align="left"><p>1. Mindfulness</p></td><td char="." align="char"><p>2.75</p></td><td char="." align="char"><p>0.50</p></td><td align="left"><p>-</p></td><td align="left" /><td align="left" /><td align="left" /><td align="left" /><td align="left" /><td align="left" /><td align="left" /></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>2. Self-Compassion</p></td><td char="." align="char"><p>3.24</p></td><td char="." align="char"><p>0.56</p></td><td align="left"><p>0.62***</p></td><td align="left"><p>-</p></td><td align="left" /><td align="left" /><td align="left" /><td align="left" /><td align="left" /><td align="left" /></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>3. Physical Health</p></td><td char="." align="char"><p>3.42</p></td><td char="." align="char"><p>0.96</p></td><td align="left"><p>0.54***</p></td><td align="left"><p>0.56***</p></td><td align="left"><p>-</p></td><td align="left" /><td align="left" /><td align="left" /><td align="left" /><td align="left" /></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>4. Voice Disorder Symptoms</p></td><td char="." align="char"><p>1.39</p></td><td char="." align="char"><p>0.98</p></td><td align="left"><p>− 0.36***</p></td><td align="left"><p>− 0.44***</p></td><td align="left"><p>− 0.57***</p></td><td align="left"><p>-</p></td><td align="left" /><td align="left" /><td align="left" /><td align="left" /></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>5. Life Satisfaction</p></td><td char="." align="char"><p>4.35</p></td><td char="." align="char"><p>1.29</p></td><td align="left"><p>0.51***</p></td><td align="left"><p>0.57***</p></td><td align="left"><p>0.63***</p></td><td align="left"><p>− 0.48***</p></td><td align="left"><p>-</p></td><td align="left" /><td align="left" /><td align="left" /></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>6. Depressive Symptoms</p></td><td char="." align="char"><p>1.87</p></td><td char="." align="char"><p>0.61</p></td><td align="left"><p>− 0.51***</p></td><td align="left"><p>− 0.68***</p></td><td align="left"><p>− 0.66***</p></td><td align="left"><p>0.54***</p></td><td align="left"><p>− 0.67***</p></td><td align="left"><p>-</p></td><td align="left" /><td align="left" /></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>7. Job Satisfaction</p></td><td char="." align="char"><p>3.41</p></td><td char="." align="char"><p>0.86</p></td><td align="left"><p>0.49***</p></td><td align="left"><p>0.49***</p></td><td align="left"><p>0.68***</p></td><td align="left"><p>− 0.54***</p></td><td align="left"><p>0.69***</p></td><td align="left"><p>− 0.59***</p></td><td align="left"><p>-</p></td><td align="left" /></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>8. Turnover Intentions</p></td><td char="." align="char"><p>2.69</p></td><td char="." align="char"><p>1.12</p></td><td align="left"><p>− 0.38***</p></td><td align="left"><p>− 0.42***</p></td><td align="left"><p>− 0.62***</p></td><td align="left"><p>0.49***</p></td><td align="left"><p>− 0.56***</p></td><td align="left"><p>0.58***</p></td><td align="left"><p>− 0.60***</p></td><td align="left"><p>-</p></td></tr></tbody></table> </ephtml> </p> <p>Notes. ***<emph>p</emph> <.001</p> <p>Table 2 Direct and indirect effects of a structural equational model linking mindfulness to well-being among kindergarten teachers</p> <p> <ephtml> <table rules="groups"><thead><tr><th align="left" /><th align="left"><p>β</p></th><th align="left"><p>S.E.</p></th><th align="left"><p>95% CI</p></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td align="left" colspan="4"><p><italic>Direct Effects</italic></p></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>Mindfulness → Self-Compassion</p></td><td align="left"><p>0.63***</p></td><td align="left"><p>0.05</p></td><td align="left"><p>(0.56, 0.70)</p></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>Mindfulness → Physical Well-being</p></td><td align="left"><p>0.32***</p></td><td align="left"><p>0.14</p></td><td align="left"><p>(0.16, 0.48)</p></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>Mindfulness → Psychological Well-being</p></td><td align="left"><p>0.25**</p></td><td align="left"><p>0.17</p></td><td align="left"><p>(0.10, 0.41)</p></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>Mindfulness → Occupational Well-being</p></td><td align="left"><p>0.33***</p></td><td align="left"><p>0.13</p></td><td align="left"><p>(0.15, 0.51)</p></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>Self-Compassion → Physical Well-being</p></td><td align="left"><p>0.46***</p></td><td align="left"><p>0.10</p></td><td align="left"><p>(0.33, 0.60)</p></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>Self-Compassion → Psychological Well-being</p></td><td align="left"><p>0.61***</p></td><td align="left"><p>0.12</p></td><td align="left"><p>(0.49, 0.73)</p></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>Self-Compassion → Occupational Well-being</p></td><td align="left"><p>0.39***</p></td><td align="left"><p>0.10</p></td><td align="left"><p>(0.24, 0.54)</p></td></tr><tr><td align="left" colspan="4"><p><italic>Indirect Effects</italic></p></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>Mindfulness → Self-Compassion → Physical Well-being</p></td><td align="left"><p>0.29***</p></td><td align="left"><p>0.08</p></td><td align="left"><p>(0.20, 0.38)</p></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>Mindfulness → Self-Compassion → Psychological Well-being</p></td><td align="left"><p>0.38***</p></td><td align="left"><p>0.10</p></td><td align="left"><p>(0.30, 0.47)</p></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>Mindfulness → Self-Compassion → Occupational Well-being</p></td><td align="left"><p>0.25***</p></td><td align="left"><p>0.07</p></td><td align="left"><p>(0.15, 0.34)</p></td></tr></tbody></table> </ephtml> </p> <p>Notes. **<emph>p</emph> <.01, ***<emph>p</emph> <.001</p> <p>Graph: Fig. 1 Standardized path coefficients of a structural equational model linking mindfulness to well-being among kindergarten teachers. Notes. Teachers' gender, age, and years of working experiences were controlled. Paths involving these control variables are not shown for clarity. **p < .01, ***p < .001</p> <hd id="AN0191072492-14">Acknowledgements</hd> <p>The authors are grateful to the participating kindergarten teachers for their time and insights about mindfulness and well-being.</p> <hd id="AN0191072492-15">Funding</hd> <p>Open access funding provided by The Education University of Hong Kong</p> <p>No funding was received to assist with the preparation of this manuscript.</p> <hd id="AN0191072492-16">Data Availability</hd> <p>Data will be made available on request.</p> <hd id="AN0191072492-17">Declarations</hd> <p></p> <hd id="AN0191072492-18">Ethical Approval</hd> <p>All procedures performed in this study involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. The ethics approval for this study was provided by The Education University of Hong Kong.</p> <hd id="AN0191072492-19">Consent to Participate</hd> <p>Informed consent was obtained from all participants involved in this study.</p> <hd id="AN0191072492-20">Conflict of Interest</hd> <p>The authors have no conflict of interest to declare.</p> <hd id="AN0191072492-21">Publisher's Note</hd> <p>Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.</p> <ref id="AN0191072492-22"> <title> References </title> <blist> <bibl id="bib1" idref="ref78" type="bt">1</bibl> <bibtext> Becker BD, Gallagher KC, Whitaker RC. Teachers' dispositional mindfulness and the quality of their relationships with children in Head Start classrooms. Journal of School Psychology. 2017; 65: 40-53. 10.1016/j.jsp.2017.06.004</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib2" idref="ref10" type="bt">2</bibl> <bibtext> Beuchel P, Ophoff JG, Cramer C, Hautzinger M. 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  Label: Title
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  Data: Self-Compassion Mediates the Associations of Mindfulness with Physical, Psychological, and Occupational Well-Being among Chinese Kindergarten Teachers
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Tuen+Yung+Leung%22">Tuen Yung Leung</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="http://orcid.org/0009-0009-0671-5756">0009-0009-0671-5756</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Chun+Bun+Lam%22">Chun Bun Lam</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kevin+Kien+Hoa+Chung%22">Kevin Kien Hoa Chung</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Early+Childhood+Education+Journal%22"><i>Early Childhood Education Journal</i></searchLink>. 2026 54(1):307-316.
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  Data: Springer. Available from: Springer Nature. One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, NY 10004. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-460-1700; e-mail: customerservice@springernature.com; Web site: https://link.springer.com/
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  Data: Y
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 10
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
– Name: Audience
  Label: Education Level
  Group: Audnce
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Early+Childhood+Education%22">Early Childhood Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Preschool+Education%22">Preschool Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Elementary+Education%22">Elementary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Kindergarten%22">Kindergarten</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Primary+Education%22">Primary Education</searchLink>
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  Label: Descriptors
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Preschool+Teachers%22">Preschool Teachers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Kindergarten%22">Kindergarten</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Preschool+Education%22">Preschool Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Altruism%22">Altruism</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Metacognition%22">Metacognition</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Well+Being%22">Well Being</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Physical+Health%22">Physical Health</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mental+Health%22">Mental Health</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teaching+Conditions%22">Teaching Conditions</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Job+Satisfaction%22">Job Satisfaction</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Correlation%22">Correlation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Life+Satisfaction%22">Life Satisfaction</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Hong+Kong%22">Hong Kong</searchLink>
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  Label: Assessment and Survey Identifiers
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SU" term="%22Satisfaction+With+Life+Scale%22">Satisfaction With Life Scale</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="SU" term="%22Center+for+Epidemiologic+Studies+Depression+Scale%22">Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.1007/s10643-024-01819-1
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 1082-3301<br />1573-1707
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: As the caregivers and educators of young children, kindergarten teachers often have to make spontaneous decisions and deal with challenging situations on a daily basis. The well-being of kindergarten teachers is of interest to parents, teacher trainers, and policymakers, as whether kindergarten teachers do well physically, psychologically, and occupationally has important implications for young children--the future pillars of society. Therefore, it is important to examine factors that may contribute to our understanding of the well-being of kindergarten teachers. This cross-sectional study examined whether mindfulness was linked to Chinese kindergarten teachers' physical, psychological, and occupational well-being and tested self-compassion as a mediator. Online questionnaire data were collected from 336 kindergarten teachers working in Hong Kong, China (mean age = 31.6 years; 86% of them were women). Kindergarten teachers rated their physical well-being (indicated by physical health and voice disorder symptoms), psychological well-being (indicated by life satisfaction and depressive symptoms), and occupational well-being (indicated by job satisfaction and turnover intentions) as well as their mindfulness and self-compassion. Structural equational modeling revealed that mindfulness was associated with all three aspects of well-being and self-compassion mediated such associations. Theoretically, findings highlighted the multidimensional nature of kindergarten teachers' well-being and the roles of intrapersonal factors--such as mindfulness and self-compassion--in understanding it. Practically, findings pointed to the potential utility of supporting kindergarten teachers' well-being by targeting their mindfulness and self-compassion.
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: EJ1503956
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        PageCount: 10
        StartPage: 307
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      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Preschool Teachers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Kindergarten
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Preschool Education
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      – SubjectFull: Life Satisfaction
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      – SubjectFull: Hong Kong
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      – SubjectFull: Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale
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      – TitleFull: Self-Compassion Mediates the Associations of Mindfulness with Physical, Psychological, and Occupational Well-Being among Chinese Kindergarten Teachers
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