Subjective well-being of private tutors

Abstract

The reported study explores psychological well-being and compares the levels of psychological well-being in private tutors teaching face-to-face or online and traditional classroom teachers. The research utilized the Riff Psychological Well-Being Scale (RPWB) adapted by Lepeshinsky (2007) along with statistical methods including the Pearson correlation coefficient and the Mann-Whitney U-test. The sample consisted of 49 private tutors (aged 24–64, male and female) from Kostroma, Russia, each with at least three years of tutoring experience. The control group of 48 individuals (aged 25–67, male and female) contained teachers who did not engaged in tutoring. The analysis revealed significant differences between the two groups on such scales as ‘personal growth’, ‘purpose in life’, and ‘managing others’. Private tutors scored higher on these scales as compared to traditional classroom teachers who showed average scores. In particular, tutors exhibited stronger goalorientation in their professional lives. These findings suggest that private tutors experience a higher level of psychological well-being. The factors behind it are numerous and include higher selfconfidence, a stronger focus on success, and greater autonomy in planning and managing their professional activities. These results contribute to the understanding of tutoring as a profession and may inform the design of professional development programs for educators.