Leader–Member Exchange and Lecturer Well-Being in Thai Rajabhat Universities: A Composite SEM Approach with Parallel Mediation of Workload Justice and COVID-19 Quality of Life
Main Article Content
Abstract
Faculty well-being has become a pressing concern in higher education as workload intensifies and digital teaching demands expand. Although leader–member exchange (LMX) is widely studied, empirical evidence from Southeast Asian universities during crises remains limited. This study examines the direct and indirect effects of LMX on faculty well-being through workload justice, online teaching satisfaction, and COVID‑19 quality of life (QOL). Survey data from 143 full-time faculty at Rajabhat universities in the Bangkok metropolitan area were analyzed using composite‑based structural equation modeling (ADANCO 2.31) with confirmatory composite analysis. An initial serial mediation (workload justice → online teaching satisfaction) was not supported because online teaching satisfaction did not significantly predict well-being (β = 0.115, p = 0.339). A better‑fitting parallel mediation model (SRMR = 0.026) showed that LMX strongly predicted workload justice (β = 0.817, p < 0.001) and modestly predicted COVID‑19 QOL (β = 0.193, p < 0.05). Both workload justice (β = 0.333, p < 0.01) and COVID‑19 QOL (β = 0.297, p < 0.001) were positively associated with well-being, and the direct effect of LMX on well-being remained significant (β = 0.339, p < 0.01), indicating partial mediation. The model explained substantial variance in workload justice (R² = 0.667) and well-being (R² = 0.579). Theoretically, the findings extend LMX to crisis contexts by introducing COVID‑19 QOL as a parallel mediator capturing life‑domain disruptions. Methodologically, confirmatory composite analysis improves the modeling of emergent constructs. Practically, strengthening LMX relationships, ensuring transparent workload management, and providing supports that protect faculty life quality are critical for sustaining well-being in the post‑pandemic era.
Highlights
- Introduces COVID-19 QOL as a novel mediator in the LMX-well-being relationship.
- Demonstrates parallel mediation effects of workload justice and COVID-19 QOL.
- Confirms LMX as the strongest predictor of faculty outcomes in Thai Rajabhat universities.
- Applies a composite SEM approach, enhancing methodological rigor in mediation analysis.
- Provides practical HR strategies for transparent workload allocation and life-quality support.
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Copyright: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
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