An examination of the relationship between teachers' occupational professionalism and leisure satisfaction levels

The aim of this study is to determine the relationship between teachers' levels of professional professionalism and leisure satisfaction. Within the scope of the research, the interaction between teachers' professional attitudes and behaviors and the ways in which they spend their leisure time was examined, and the effects of demographic variables such as gender, age, years of seniority, and school type on these two variables were also evaluated. The study was designed in accordance with the quantitative research method, and a questionnaire form was used as the data collection tool. During the 2024–2025 academic year, the population of the study consisted of 2,213 teachers working in public high schools in the province of Elazığ under the Ministry of National Education, and a sample of 250 teachers selected from this population constituted the research sample. According to the research findings, teachers' professional professionalism levels were generally high, while their leisure satisfaction levels were found to be at a moderate-to-high level. A positive and significant relationship was identified between these two variables, indicating that teachers' effective use of leisure time positively influences their professional commitment and attitudes. Moreover, significant differences were observed in terms of demographic variables such as age, gender, and years of service. It was revealed that experienced teachers had higher levels of professional professionalism, while younger teachers had higher levels of leisure satisfaction. The results of regression analyses showed that leisure satisfaction was a significant predictor of professional professionalism. In this regard, it was concluded that creating structures that enable teachers to utilize their leisure time more efficiently would support their professional development and enhance their quality of professional life.