Work System Design and Self-Disclosure of Public Elementary School Teachers

This study examined the influence of work system design on the self-disclosure of public elementary school teachers in Cateel 2 District, Division of Davao Oriental. Guided by social cognitive theory and job characteristics theory, it assessed work system design through task characteristics, knowledge characteristics, and work context, and assessed self-disclosure through openness to feedback and perceptiveness. A quantitative descriptive-correlational design was used with 201 teachers selected through simple random sampling from a population of 305 public elementary school teachers during the 2025-2026 school year. Data were collected through adapted survey instruments validated by experts and pilot tested with 30 teachers. Descriptive statistics, Pearson product-moment correlation, and multiple linear regression were used for analysis. Results showed high levels of work system design (M = 3.85, SD = 0.63) and self-disclosure (M = 3.99, SD = 0.61). Work system design had a very high positive relationship with self-disclosure (r = 0.87, R2 = 0.76, p = 0.000). Regression results showed that task characteristics, knowledge characteristics, and work context significantly influenced self-disclosure, with knowledge characteristics as the strongest predictor. The findings emphasize the value of cognitively rich, supportive, and well-structured teaching roles in strengthening teachers’ professional openness and interpersonal responsiveness.