Teachers’ job satisfaction and also self-efficacy, are two constructs which have been associated with positive outcomes related to teacher performance and student achievement (Goddard, Hoy, & Hoy, 2000; Hoy, Sweetland, & Smith, 2002). Research findings on mainstream and special education teachers’ job satisfaction are contradictory (Littrell & Billingsley, 1994; Stempien & Loeb, 2002; Sutton & Huberty, 2001), whereas little attention has been given in self-efficacy beliefs of mainstream and special education teachers.
The purpose of this study was to explore self-efficacy and job satisfaction in mainstream and special education teachers of primary education in Greece. The survey sample comprised a total of 415 teachers across the country, 210 teachers serving in special education and 205 teachers in mainstream education. Teachers were surveyed on May-June 2007, using the Teacher Self-Efficacy Scale (Schwarzer, Schmitz, & Daytner, 1999) and the Jamaican Teacher Satisfaction Survey (Rodgers-Jenkinson & Chapman, 1990). Internal consistency for the self-efficacy scale was alpha=0.85 (alpha=0.86 for special education teachers and alpha=0.84 for mainstream teachers). Regarding job satisfaction, the use of factor analysis (principal components) suggested four dimensions: satisfaction with work environment, the profession, the earnings and affect at work. Internal consistency of the corresponding subscales was satisfactory (ranging from 0.62 to 0.73) and of the total scale it was alpha=0.79 (alpha=0.80 for special education teachers and alpha=0.79 for mainstream teachers).
No significant differences were found between the two groups of teachers, concerning self-efficacy and job satisfaction as a general construct. Nevertheless, examination of the job satisfaction dimensions revealed a significant difference between the two groups with respect to satisfaction from earnings. Specifically, special education teachers were less dissatisfied with their earnings, compared to their colleagues serving in the mainstream sector. Self-efficacy was positively related to job satisfaction in both groups and this was true for all dimensions of job satisfaction except for satisfaction with earnings. Self-efficacy was related to satisfaction with earnings only among special education teachers (the less special education teachers perceived themselves as self-efficacious, the more complaints they expressed about their wages), while for mainstream teachers dissatisfaction with their wages was not related to self-efficacy.
As far as gender differences were concerned, there were found similar and significant differences in both groups of teachers. Females reported higher levels of job satisfaction as a general construct than males, whereas there were no significant gender differences in self-efficacy beliefs. In terms of the subscales of job satisfaction, females were more satisfied with the job itself, had less negative affectivity in their work and were less dissatisfied with their salary/income than males, whereas the former did not differ from their male colleagues as far as satisfaction with work environment was concerned.
These findings are discussed in the light of relevant research. Furthermore, implications for promoting self-efficacy and job satisfaction among teachers in special and mainstream education are discussed by focusing on initiatives that should be taken at school, local and national level aiming at enhanced teacher performance.