Investigating Teacher Anger, Emotional Labor of Anger, and Emotional Exhaustion from Two Daily Diary Studies

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Wednesday 1:45 pm - Gold 3
  In Roundtable Session: Teaching in Complex Times: Spotlight on Teaching Motivation and Emotions

Abstract

Anger poses significant challenges in teaching, often fueling a cycle of emotional exhaustion and further anger that undermines both teacher well-being and instructional quality. This multi-study research examined how Canadian and Chinese teachers’ daily emotional labor strategies—genuine expression, faking, and hiding anger—shape emotional exhaustion and subsequent anger across a school semester. Using diary methods and longitudinal analyses, results revealed that hiding anger predicted greater emotional exhaustion for Canadian teachers, while genuine expression had this effect for Chinese teachers, reflecting cultural differences. In both groups, emotional exhaustion mediated the relationship between initial and later anger. These findings highlight the detrimental effects of maladaptive anger regulation and underscore the need for culturally sensitive interventions to support teachers’ emotional health.

Authors

• Hui Wang, The Education University of Hong Kong

• Ying Chen, The Education University of Hong Kong