The Effects of Surface and Deep Acting on Childcare Teacher’s Turnover Intention: Mediating Effect of Organizational Commitment and Moderating Effect of Leader-Member Exchange (LMX)

This study aims to explore the effect of childcare teachers’ emotional labor strategies (e.g., surfacing acting or deep acting) on their Turnover Intention, a significant factor for preventing turnover and enhancing the quality of childcare services. In addition, the study seeks to the effect of organizational commitment as a mediator in the effect of emotional labor strategy on turnover intention. The results of the study are as follows: First, surface acting among the emotional labor strategies had a positive (+) effect on the Turnover Intention, while deep acting had a negative (−) effect. Second, organizational commitment mediated the relationship between both emotional labor strategies and the Turnover Intention. Finally, the leader-member exchange acted as a moderating variable, weakening the relationship between deep acting and turnover intentions.