KMAN Publication Inc. (KMANPUB) Health Nexus 4 Serial Number 15 2026 07 01 Modeling Elementary Teachers' Work Engagement Based on Job Crafting and Emotional Creativity: The Mediating Role of Critical Thinking Modeling Elementary Teachers' Work Engagement Based on Job Crafting and Emotional Creativity: The Mediating Role of Critical Thinking 1 13 10.61838/ EN Journal Article 2026 03 10 <p>Teacher work engagement is a key psychological and occupational factor in educational quality. The present study examined a structural model in which job crafting and emotional creativity were associated with elementary teachers' work engagement, both directly and indirectly through critical thinking. This applied, descriptive-correlational survey used structural equation modeling. The population consisted of all elementary school teachers in Barkhar, Iran. Because the population was limited, census sampling was used, and 270 teachers were included. Data were collected using standardized self-report instruments measuring emotional creativity, job crafting, critical thinking, and work engagement. Data were analyzed using SPSS and SmartPLS 3. Descriptive statistics showed mean scores of 63.62 for emotional creativity, 55.38 for critical thinking, 42.87 for job crafting, and 22.79 for work engagement. All direct structural paths were positive and statistically significant. Job crafting was positively associated with work engagement (beta = 0.138, t = 2.762, p = .006) and critical thinking (beta = 0.478, t = 8.566, p < .001). Emotional creativity was positively associated with work engagement (beta = 0.191, t = 3.944, p < .001) and critical thinking (beta = 0.384, t = 6.601, p < .001). Critical thinking was the strongest direct predictor of work engagement (beta = 0.623, t = 14.366, p < .001). The indirect effects through critical thinking were also supported: emotional creativity -> critical thinking -> work engagement (indirect beta = 0.239) and job crafting -> critical thinking -> work engagement (indirect beta = 0.298). The findings suggest that job crafting and emotional creativity are relevant correlates of elementary teachers' work engagement and that critical thinking may partly explain these associations.</p>

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