Introduction
A significant part of the quality of teachers' performance in educational processes is affected by their evaluation and perception of their job status. Lack of job security is one of the factors that can have negative and destructive job and behavioral consequences for teachers. Job insecurity is a significant concern for many teachers, influenced by various factors that can vary by region, type of school, and educational policies. Job insecurity for teachers can have far-reaching consequences, not only for the educators themselves but also for students, schools, and the broader education system. Also, teachers on temporary contracts or facing layoffs may struggle with financial uncertainty, making it difficult to plan for the future or meet personal and family needs. Additionally, Job insecurity can lead to chronic stress, anxiety, and burnout. Teachers may feel constantly worried about their future, which can negatively impact their mental and physical health. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to study the relationship between job insecurity and psychological well-being of tuition sports teachers with the mediating role of work-family balance.
Method
This applied research was carried out using a survey research method. The statistical population of this research included all the tuition sports teachers of Golestan province (239 teachers). The total number method was used to determine the sample size and all 239 sports teachers were considered as a statistical sample, and after the final distribution of the research questionnaires, 218 completed questionnaires were collected and analyzed. The research data collection tools included job insecurity questionnaires (Blotenberg & Richter, 2020), work-family balance (Carlson et al., 2009) and psychological well-being (Reif, 1995). The validity of the questionnaires was confirmed by five PhDs in sports management, and in a preliminary study, the results of Cronbach's alpha test showed that the reliability of the questionnaires used was acceptable. The analysis of the collected data was done descriptively (mean and standard deviation) and inferentially (structural equation modeling). Two statistical software SPSS (Version 25) and SmartPLS (Version 4) were used for data analysis.
Results
In the inferential part, after making sure about the quality of the structural model of the research, the hypotheses were tested. The results of the research indicated that there is a significant negative relationship between job insecurity and work-family balance of sports teachers. Another part of the results showed that the relationship between job insecurity and the psychological well-being of sports teachers is negative and significant. Finally, the results of the Sobel test showed that the relationship between job insecurity and the psychological well-being of sports teachers with the mediating role of work-family balance is negative and significant.
Discussion
According to the findings of this research, it can be concluded that the lack of job security can have negative consequences such as reducing the work-family balance and psychological well-being for teachers of sports. Therefore, it is suggested to consider specific programs to change the status of sports teachers.