Social Media Addiction: The Mediating Role Between Teacher Relationships and Work Performance in Primary and Secondary Schools with the Moderating Role of School Climate

Abstract

Good teacher–student and parent–teacher relationships enhance teachers’ sense of accomplishment and efficacy, thereby contributing to their professional development. Given the increasing role of social media as a primary source of relaxation and entertainment, understanding its impact on teachers is crucial. This study, involving 1,840 primary and secondary school teachers (M_age = 40.44, SD = 9.68, 38.8 percent male), employed a questionnaire to explore how teacher–student relationships, parent–teacher relationships, and social media addiction (SMA) influence teachers’ work performance. The results revealed that (1) nearly half of the teachers were addicted to social media; (2) both parent–teacher and teacher–student relationships positively affected work performance, while SMA negatively impacted it; (3) when both relationships were present, parent–teacher relationships had a more significant effect, with SMA mediating the link between teacher–parent relationships and work performance; and (4) school climate moderated the impact of SMA on work performance. These findings clarify the interactions between interpersonal relationships, social media behavior, and work performance, suggesting strategies to improve performance through optimized relationships, guided social media use, and a positive school environment.