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Passion and well being among special educators: the moderating role of stress
Abstract
Introduction: The well‑being of special educators is a key factor that influences the quality of their work and the effectiveness of the support provided to learners with special educational needs. One psychological resource that may promote well‑being is passion, conceptualised in two forms: harmonious and obsessive. However, there is still a lack of research that would examine how passion relates to the well‑being of special educators and which additional factors may shape this relationship.
Research Aim: The aim of the study was to determine the association between harmonious and obsessive passion and well‑being among special educators, and to examine whether perceived occupational stress moderates these relationships.
Method: The study was conducted with the use of a cross‑sectional design and included 277 special educators working in mainstream and special schools. Data were collected using standardised instruments: the Psychological Well‑Being Questionnaire, the Passion Scale, and the Perceived Occupational Stress Questionnaire. Associations between the variables were examined through correlation analyses and moderation analyses (PROCESS macro, model 1).
Results: Correlational analyses showed that harmonious passion was significantly and positively associated with well‑being among special educators, regardless of their workplace setting, whereas no significant correlations were found between obsessive passion and well‑being. The moderation analysis revealed that occupational stress moderated the relationship between harmonious passion and well‑being, but this effect occurred only among special educators working in mainstream schools. The positive association between harmonious passion and well‑being was present only among individuals who reported low levels of perceived occupational stress.
Conclusions: The findings highlight the importance of fostering harmonious passion and reducing occupational stress to strengthen the psychological well‑being of special educators, particularly those who work in mainstream educational settings.
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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17951/lrp.2026.45.2.123-144
Date of publication: 2026-06-30 15:05:37
Date of submission: 2026-02-20 14:01:34
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