Teachers\u2019 experienced classroom demands and autonomic stress reactions: results of a pilot study and implications for process-oriented research in vocational education and training

Tobias Kärner,Jana Höning

doi:10.1186/s40461-021-00113-3

Abstract

BackgroundTo examine relationships between teachers’ experienced classroom demands and autonomic stress reactions, we report the results of a pilot study. Based on an integrative literature review, we identified and described the following situational classroom demands: time and work pressure (including missing rest periods, time pressure, and pressure to get through the subject matter), vocal strain, uncertainty concerning the subject matter, uncertainty concerning didactical decisions, achievement-related diversity in class, lack of social appreciation, disquietude in class, classroom disturbances, behavioral problems of students, insufficient skills and concentration of students, and insufficient motivation of students.MethodThese identified categories of teachers’ situational classroom demands are the basis for the empirical item identification and selection (Study A). The identified items were used in a single-case, short-term longitudinal study in which we examined relationships between experienced classroom demands and autonomic stress reactions as well as between autonomic stress reactions and affective stress experience via first-order vector autoregressive modeling (Study B).ResultsConcerning our hypotheses, we found evidence that some of the experienced classroom demands (“I cannot respond to students’ different needs”; “There is disquietude in class”) had time-lagged associations with autonomic stress measures. Furthermore, we found that physiological arousal triggers affective stress experience due to a time-lagged effect.ConclusionThe research approach and results of our pilot study can be the basis for further process-oriented research in vocational education and training (VET). From a practical point of view, our results on experienced classroom demands could be used in VET teacher education to prepare student teachers for specific skills to cope with such demands.

Highlights

Teachers are exceptionally vulnerable to feeling stressed at work and to suffering from stress-related chronic diseases (e.g. Kaerner et al 2016; Kyriacou 2011; Rothland and Terhart 2007; Schaarschmidt and Kieschke 2007; Sembill 2015)
Physiological and affective response correlates of stress After categorizing different situational classroom demands as potential stressors for teachers, we describe the response correlates of stress in greater detail
Research aims and hypotheses Based on the reviewed literature, we aim to investigate associations between teachers’ experienced situational classroom demands and physiological and affective response correlates of stress

Summary

Introduction

Teachers are exceptionally vulnerable to feeling stressed at work and to suffering from stress-related chronic diseases (e.g. Kaerner et al 2016; Kyriacou 2011; Rothland and Terhart 2007; Schaarschmidt and Kieschke 2007; Sembill 2015). The model of Kyriacou and colleagues is based on the basic ideas of the transactional stress model of Lazarus and colleagues (e.g., Lazarus and Folkman 1984). Even though the model of Kyriacou was first published in 1978, it has been continuously used in psychological teacher stress research and has been applied in further applications (e.g., Kyriacou 2001, 2011; Kyriacou and Sutcliffe 1978). Because of the complexity of the model, in our pilot study we only focus on the sources of stress in classroom work “Literature review on teachers’ situational classroom demands” for a detailed description) and on teachers’ stress outcomes in terms of physiological response correlates and negative affect Based on an integrative literature review, we identified and described the following situational classroom demands: time and work pressure (including missing rest periods, time pressure, and pressure to get through the subject matter), vocal strain, uncertainty concerning the subject matter, uncertainty concerning didactical decisions, achievement-related diversity in class, lack of social appreciation, disquietude in class, classroom disturbances, behavioral problems of students, insufficient skills and concentration of students, and insufficient motivation of students

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Discussion

Conclusion