The purpose of this study is to examine the relationships among teacher self-efficacy for positive teacher-child relationship, emotional labor (surface/deep), and job burnout and to find out the mediating effect of surface and deep emotional labor. This study investigates the relationship among variables from the mediating perspective using the structural equation modeling.

The survey was conducted regarding teacher self-efficacy for positive teacher-child relationship, emotional labor (surface/deep) and job burnout among 350 teachers working in child care centers located in Daegu and Kyeongsangbuk-do province, Korea. Out of the 350 answers, 15 with unresponsive and careless answers were excluded, leaving a total of 335 answers for the final analysis.

For the data analysis, statistical methods such as SPSS 20.0 and AMOS 22.0 were used. Also, maximum likelihood estimation was employed for modeling the suitability.
The suitability was evaluated using Standardized Root Mean Square Residual (SRMR), Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA), 90% confidence interval, Comparative Fit Index (CFI), and Turker-Lewis Index (TLI). The bootstrapping process was used to examine the moderating effect, showing the significance of indirect effect.

The results of this study are as follows:
First, it was found that teacher self-efficacy for positive teacher-child relationship had a negative effect on job burnout of childcare teachers.
Second, it was found that teacher self-efficacy for positive teacher-child relationship had a negative effect on surface acting.
Third, it was found that teacher self-efficacy for positive teacher-child relationship had a positive effect on deep acting.
Fourth, it was found that the surface acting of childcare teachers had a positive effect on job burnout.
Fifth, it was found that the deep acting of childcare teachers had a negative effect on job burnout.
Sixth, it was found that teacher self-efficacy for positive teacher-child relationship had an indirect effect on burnout through the mediation of emotional labor of surface/deep acting. This indicates that teacher self-efficacy for positive teacher-child relationship should be increased in order to reduce their burnout, and also various supports and plans should be developed for the teachers to have the value, technology, and capacity of desirable emotional labor.

This study has examined the burnout of childcare teachers, which is considered as a threatening element impacting the quality of childcare, through the aspect of teacher self-efficacy for positive teacher-child relationship and emotional labor of surface/deep acting. Thus, the significance of this study is in providing valuable information and data to prevent the teachers’ burnout in regard to childcare administration.