Psychological capital, emotional intelligence, and creative teaching behavior among higher education physical education teachers: the mediating role of teacher wellbeing

In the dynamic landscape of higher education, Physical Education (PE) teachers face unique pressures that require adaptability and innovation to effectively engage adult learners. Drawing on the Conservation of Resources (COR) theory and the Broaden-and-Build theory, this study investigates the interactive relationships between Psychological Capital (PsyCap), Emotional Intelligence (EI), Wellbeing, and Creative Teaching Behavior (CTB). A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 420 PE teachers from universities across Mainland China. Data were collected using validated self-report instruments, including the Psychological Capital Questionnaire, the Wong and Law Emotional Intelligence Scale, the Teacher Subjective Wellbeing Questionnaire, and a Creative Teaching Behavior Scale. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and bias-corrected bootstrapping were employed to analyze the direct and indirect effects among the variables. The results indicate that both PsyCap and EI are significant positive predictors of Creative Teaching Behavior and teacher Wellbeing. Crucially, the analysis indicated significant indirect associations between PsyCap, EI, and Creative Teaching Behavior through Wellbeing, suggesting that Wellbeing may help explain how these personal resources are statistically associated with creative instructional practices. These findings suggest that creative teaching should not be viewed solely as a pedagogical skill, but also as a teaching behavior associated with teachers' psychological resources and wellbeing. The study concludes that higher education institutions should prioritize interventions that enhance teachers‘ psychological resources and emotional regulation to foster wellbeing and sustain creativity in the classroom.