Teacher Stress Research Articles

The Impact of Work Stress on the Psychological Well-being of Public Elementary School Teachers

This study aimed to explore the impact of work stress on the psychological well-being of the public elementary school teachers. The sample consists of 60 out of 75 teachers from the three public elementary schools located in the municipality of Barobo, Surigao del Sur. The study utilized a correlation and regression research design. Results revealed that teachers find their job relatively relaxed due to their students' behavior and can maintain a positive attitude and focus on their teaching goals. Moreover, positive working relationships between teachers and administrators can help reduce teacher stress levels. Results further revealed that there is a strong positive correlation between the work stress and the psychological well-being of the public elementary school teachers, and this correlation is statistically significant. However, regression analysis revealed that the work stress of these teachers did not have a significant impact on their psychological well-being. Consequently, the above results implied that work stress did not predict the psychological well-being of public elementary school teachers.

ADHD Symptoms Increase Perception of Classroom Entropy and Impact Teacher Stress Levels.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neuropsychiatric disorder among school-age children, characterized by persistent behavioral patterns of inattention and/or hyperactivity/impulsivity. These behaviors can create stress for teachers and negatively affect teacher-student interactions. This study hypothesized that a high frequency of ADHD students in the classroom can increase internal and external entropy, ultimately resulting in a negative stress impact on teachers. The physical concept of entropy, which measures the degree of disorder in a system, was used to better understand this relationship. The study evaluated 177 primary school teachers in their response to interacting with students with ADHD, using the Measurement of Psychological Stress (MPS) to evaluate subjective stress levels and the QUEIs and QUEIp questionnaires to measure structural and personal entropy. Path analysis was applied to identify the factors associated with the total score of MPS. The hypothesis was confirmed, as the frequency of ADHD students had a negative impact on teachers' entropy levels and personal entropy was found to significantly increase stress levels. The study highlights the negative impact of ADHD symptoms on stress levels and personal entropy of teachers when interacting with students with ADHD. These findings suggest the need for interventions aimed at balancing the frequency of students with ADHD and promoting positive training on stress reduction for teacher-student interactions.

Early Childhood Education Teacher Psychophysiology and Teacher Stress: Prior Findings, Current Studies, and Future Directions

Early Childhood Education Teacher Psychophysiology and Teacher Stress: Prior Findings, Current Studies, and Future Directions

Early Childhood Education Teacher Stress: Qualitative understandings and insights

Previous research demonstrates teacher stress to be an impediment to physical and mental well-being, to child outcomes, as well as to the relationship between teacher and child. Teacher stress is reported to take many forms. While working conditions (e.g., low pay, lack of support) may account for some of the teacher stress experienced, distinct teaching stress (i.e., the emotionality of working with young children) is experienced by teachers in early childhood classrooms. Moreover, the current zeitgeist (e.g., COVID-19, lack of economic support, gun violence in schools) additionally burdens teachers making learning directly from teachers the sources of their stress, the means by which they abate that stress, and how they perceive children are affected by their levels of stress imperative. Methods: Adding to the literature in a manner that promotes teacher voices and positionality, the current investigation qualitatively inquired of 6 Head Start (HS) teachers in a mid-Western, urban city-center during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, asking 1) What are HS teachers’ conceptions of stress, and 2) What are the histories, stories, and lived experiences of these teachers which undergird their conceptions. Results: Using techniques of individual and focus group interviews, data were inductively analyzed to reveal HS classrooms operating as a series of competing priorities, each of which, according to the teachers of this investigation, limited the means by which they could attend to their own stress and well-being and to the stress and well-being of students. Conclusions: Implications and recommendations are discussed.

Associations between biomarkers and the psychophysiological impacts of teacher stress: a systematic review

Extensive literature demonstrates associations between occupational stress and adverse mental and physical health outcomes. Findings are inconsistent regarding the impacts of occupational stress on specific biomarkers/physiological systems among teachers. We conducted a PRISMA systematic electronic search to evaluate associations between biomarkers and occupational stress in teachers across education levels and identify gaps in the field. 38 papers met inclusion criteria from the initial search (N=3,290). Most papers were cross-sectional, with a subset using longitudinal or experimental designs (n=12). For Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal (HPA) axis biomarkers (n =29; salivary or hair cortisol), a third of studies found no association between stress and physiological alterations; the remaining HPA axis studies found associations between higher chronic stress (burnout) and blunted/hyporeactive HPA axis activation, and positive associations between acute stress (job strain, perceived stress) and increased HPA axis activation (higher diurnal cortisol, higher reactivity). Cardiovascular findings were mixed, with inconsistent relations between stress and cardiac function (n=10; HR, BP, HRV). For immunological studies (n=6; immune assays), chronic work stress was associated with increased pro-inflammatory and less effective anti-inflammatory activity, and mixed associations between burnout and inflammatory markers. Both acute and chronic occupational stress (burnout, perceived stress, job strain), negatively impact teacher health processes. More research will clarify associations between facets of occupational stress and physiology. We conclude with recommendations for improved methodology, a call for more experimental and intervention work, and more focus placed on teacher health and how teacher health impacts both teacher and child outcomes.

Physiologic Stress in the Classroom: Does Teacher’s Cortisol Expression Influence Children’s Afternoon Rise in Cortisol at Child Care?

Extant literature has demonstrated that children’s diurnal stress physiology often looks different on child care versus home days. Specifically, children experience a rise in cortisol, rather than a decline, over the day while in full-time care. The current study investigated whether teachers’ cortisol levels (n=11) were associated with child cortisol levels (n =71) in the classroom. Cortisol samples were collected on consecutive days at home and child care for children, and at child care for teachers. We hypothesized that 1) teacher cortisol will predict child afternoon cortisol, 2) that a portion of the variance in this relationship will be accounted for by classroom quality. Children in this sample had higher cortisol values in the afternoon while at child care than at similar times of day at home. Teachers demonstrated a typical diurnal decline across the day, but variation in total cortisol output at child care. Two distinct predictors of afternoon cortisol levels were identified in children attending childcare: child age and mean teacher cortisol levels across the day. Higher diurnal cortisol values for teachers may indicate a higher stress environment for both teachers and children. Findings suggest that teacher stress may not only have implications for children in terms of teacher burnout, high staff turnover, and learning, but possibly also in terms of the child’s health and well-being. Implications for research and policy, as well as limitations and strengths, are discussed.

Exploring the demographics of teachers who experience secondary traumatic stress

BackgroundOver the last decade, the prevalence of childhood and adolescent trauma has continued to gain public notice, forcing educational systems to explore the impact of these traumas on students, teachers, and schools. Some have implemented trauma-informed practices that are purported to be effective for supporting students in classrooms. Researchers have explored the possibility of its adverse effect on teachers as secondary traumatic stress. This study aimed to explore Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS) in classroom teachers in one small urban school district. STS is said to capture how professionals working closely with traumatized populations are impacted by witnessing their clients' experiences. This phenomenon has adversely affected attrition in other helping professions yet is only recently the focus of educational research.MethodsThe author administered an attitudinal survey to measure levels of STS in one small, urban school district in the U.S. The population sample in this study mirrored that of the district's population and that of national demographics of teachers in the U.S. Descriptive statistics were used to run regression analysis against the STS data.ResultsThe findings showed that most teachers experience STS levels within the normal range. White, working-class elementary school teachers experienced higher levels of STS than their K-12 classroom teacher peers.ImplicationsThe results support a need to continue research on the impact of STS on teachers. Further investigations could inform teacher preparation programs and professional development to identify practices that can help mitigate STS in teachers.

Single-item principal stress and coping measures: Concurrent and predictive validity and comparisons to teacher measures.

The present study analyzed concurrent and predictive validity of single-item scales for assessing principal stress and coping. We examined concurrent and prospective relations among stress and coping single-items with principal job satisfaction, overall health, perceptions of school safety, and principal leadership self-efficacy. We also compared principals and teachers on their stress and coping levels using the same single-item scales. Consistent with the literature on teacher stress and coping, the correlations of principal coping with different outcomes-job satisfaction, overall health, leadership efficacy, and safety perceptions-were stronger in comparison to the correlations between principal stress and those same outcomes. In regression models with both stress and coping, only principal coping predicted concurrent and future principal job satisfaction and overall health, as well as change in those outcomes. Coping also predicted concurrent but not future perceptions of school safety. Stress and coping did not consistently predict concurrent or future measures of leadership self-efficacy. Last, we found that principals reported even higher levels of stress than the well-documented high levels reported by teachers. We discuss areas for further research and potential use of these measures. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Salient Stressors of Teachers Employed in Private Schools in Andhra Pradesh, India

Traditionally, teaching has been considered a noble profession. However, it has become one of the most physically and intellectually demanding service occupations in the present day. Particularly, teacher stress harms both their health and their students’ learning and performance. Stressors for teachers might vary depending on the type of school administration. Although studies have established the stressors experienced by teachers in public schools, relatively little research has been conducted on the stressors experienced by teachers in private schools. The primary purpose of this study was to determine the most significant stressors affecting teachers in private schools. It employed an explorative qualitative research design using convenience sampling. Twenty-one school teachers (nine males and twelve females, mean age of 32, and average teaching experience of 7.5 years) participated in semi-structured telephone interviews that were recorded with a call recorder. The audio data was transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis, yielding five significant themes: concerns with compensation; poor work environment; demands from parents, students, and management; interpersonal problems at work; and excessive workload. The results revealed the presence of workplace bullying and jealousy in schools, as well as new sources of stress for instructors, such as student evaluations. In addition, the report highlighted how teachers' financial restrictions and administrative responsibilities were exacerbating their stress levels and recommended administrative initiatives, such as psychological interventions for the teachers' well-being.

Occupational stress of elementary school teachers after eased COVID-19 restrictions: a qualitative study from China.

On December 7, 2022, China optimized its virus response and significantly shifted its epidemic policy by downgrading COVID management and gradually restoring offline teaching in schools. This shift has brought many impacts on teachers. Through qualitative research of thematic analysis, this paper studies the occupational pressure of primary school teachers in China after the shift in epidemic policy. Two recruitment methods are adopted for this study. One was to email the principals of several primary schools in Zhejiang Province to introduce the research project and indicate the idea of recruiting participants. With their help, we have found teachers who volunteer to participate. The second was to release recruitment information in the network forum (e.g., online teacher forums) to find volunteer participants. Through semi-structured interviews and diaries, 18 primary school teachers from different regions and schools in Zhejiang Province were interviewed. All responses in the interviews were transcribed anonymously. Braun and Clarke's thematic analysis was used to analyze the participants' responses. Eighteen participants took part in the research project. Forty-five final codes, generated from 89 codes initially obtained from the dataset, are classified into five final themes: uncertainty, overburdened, neglected, worry about students, and influence, which reflect the professional stress of primary school teachers following the epidemic prevention policies relaxed. Five themes were identified in the research. The problems described by the participants include burdensome offline activities, being disturbed out of hours, and appearing understaffed for the infection. These problems harmed the participants' mental health, including anxiety, fatigue, stress, and other adverse psychological conditions. Awareness and attention to the psychological situation of primary school teachers after the eased COVID control are crucial. We believe protecting teachers' mental health is necessary, especially in this particular period.

Analysis of Student-Related Social Stressors among School Teachers

Teachers who have day-to-day relations with students are exposed to mistreatment by students; therefore, they are daily exposed to social stress, which affects their moods. The purpose of the research was to identify the most perceived student-related social stressors (SSS) contributing to the social stress of school teachers in elementary and high schools. Moreover, to explore their relationship to the positive and negative teachers' affect. An online survey was employed for data collection by using publicly available addresses of elementary and high schools in Slovenia. The results show that the most often perceived SSS are disliked students and disproportionate student expectations in both elementary and high schools; a statistically significant relationship between SSS and teachers' affect was found. The principals of elementary and high schools should pay attention to maximizing teachers' competencies to improve their classroom management and enable the teachers to learn about cognitive strategies for moderating mood effects on judgements about social events.

The Effect of Challenge-Hindrance Stress on Psychache among Middle and Primary School Teachers.

Middle and primary school teachers are experiencing considerable stress from their careers. However, previous studies on work stress among teachers focused on the influence of various types of stress on individuals but failed to explore the relationship among middle and primary school teachers' work stress, psychache. We aimed to examine the basic conditions of the challenge-hindrance stress of middle and primary school teachers as well as its relationship with psychache and psychological resilience. A total of 512 middle and primary school teachers from Zhejiang and Anhui in China were enrolled from May to October 2021. The subjects were evaluated with the challenge-hindrance stress questionnaire, psychache scale, and psychological resilience scale. t-test, ANOVA analysis, correlation analysis, and multivariate regression analysis were used to explore the relationship between challenge-hindrance stress and psychache. Middle and primary school teachers generally experience high challenge-hindrance stress and psychache. The challenge-hindrance stress had a significantly positive correlation with psychache (r=0.295, 0.439, P<0.01) and a significantly negative correlation with psychological resilience (r = -0.320, -0.494, P<0.01). Challenge-hindrance stress could be used to significantly predict the psychache. Specifically, challenge stress and hindrance stress could significantly positively predicted the psychache (β=0.295 and β=0.439, respectively). In addition, psychological resilience exerted a partial mediating effect on the relationship between challenge-hindrance stress and psychache. The challenge-hindrance stress of middle and primary school teachers influences their psychache directly as well as indirectly through the mediating effect of psychological resilience.

Understanding Factors that Moderate the Relationship Between Student ADHD Behaviors and Teacher Stress.

Teaching is a stressful profession, and teacher stress has been shown to be associated with job dissatisfaction, attrition from the field, and negative outcomes for teachers and their students. A major contributor to teacher stress is disruptive student behavior. Given that students with or at-risk for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) demonstrate high rates of disruptive behaviors and are present in nearly every classroom, studying the connection between student ADHD symptoms and teacher stress may provide useful insights for better supporting teachers and their students. Aims of this study were to (1) assess the replicability of a previous finding that teachers rate their students with elevated ADHD symptoms to be more stressful to teach than students without these symptoms and (2) explore the extent to which key factors (i.e., overall work-related stress and student-teacher relationship quality) moderate the relationship between student ADHD symptoms and related teacher stress. Participants were 97K-2nd grade teachers who completed an online survey about themselves and two male students in their classroom. Results showed that teachers report students with elevated levels of ADHD symptoms and impairment to be more stressful to work with than students who do not exhibit these symptoms (d = 1.52). Additionally, overall work-related stress and conflict in the student-teacher relationship exacerbated the relationship between studentADHD symptom severity and related teacher stress, whereas closeness in the student-teacher relationship mitigated this association. Implications of these findings and directions for future research are discussed.

Assessing trait emotional intelligence and its relationship with stress and health behaviour in the education sector: An empirical study from Uttarakhand, India.

Emotional intelligence of teachers can affect their mental and physical health as well their performance in school. Both emotional intelligence and health behavior can have an impact on stress. The majority of Indian studies have examined only one type of teachers, have used indigenous scales which are not internationally valid, and have not studied health behaviour. The role of age and gender on emotional intelligence is also a debatable subject which requires larger studies The present study was undertaken to evaluate the trait emotional intelligence, stress and health behaviour of teachers and to determine their inter-relationship and to assess the role of demographic and professional attributes on emotional intelligence. Teachers from different schools, colleges and professional institutes situated in Dehradun and nearby towns in the state of Uttarakhand, India were evaluated by internationally valid tools for the three parameters. Emotional Intelligence of teachers has no relation with age, gender, educational qualification, level of teaching or type of institute. It has a negative correlation with stress and a positive correlation with health behaviour. Further, health behaviour is inversely related to stress. Assessment of emotional intelligence and health behaviour of teachers should be a part of their routine evaluation and training so that specific interventions to reduce stress and to improve their overall health and performance can be appropriately planned.

The Work-Related Stress and Well-Being of Teachers—An Exploratory Study within Primary Schools in Italy

This study analyzes the critical aspects of the professional life of primary school teachers in a southern European context. The social changes of the last two decades have profoundly impacted teachers’ well-being, putting a strain on their ability to adapt to sometimes unfair working conditions. For this purpose, we interviewed twenty teachers (M = 38.85; DS = 9.17) from different areas of Italy and analyzed data using the grounded theory method. Through a data analysis, we summarized and emphasized eight core themes. The results show the effects of the gradual impoverishment of the recognition for the role of the teacher, highlighting the difficulty for teachers in renegotiating more flexible workload assessments and reinforcing psycho-emotional skills for developing a teaching methodology that is attentive to the psycho-emotional needs of their pupils. Schools emerge as a rigid working context where a competent organizational function is often absent. The practical psychological implications of this are discussed.

Associations between stress, resources, and hair cortisol concentration in teachers

Challenging interactions are the main source of teacher’ stress in the classroom. We investigated the association of chronic stress and characteristics of teacher-student interactions with teachers’ Hair Cortisol Concentration (HCC). Forty-one teachers (27 women; Mage = 39.65 ± 12.14 years; Mlesson number = 23.15 ± 3.99 lessons per week; grade: elementary, secondary, high, and vocational school teachers) participated in the present study, with participation lasting over the length of one year. HCC was assessed from a 3 cm hair segment near the scalp. Self-reported chronic stress in the last three months was further assessed using the ‘Trier Inventory for Chronic Stress’ (TICS). Additionally, four consecutive, same-day lectures of each teacher were videotaped and coded offline in an event sampling procedure by trained external observers. The videos were analyzed for two stressors, i.e., classroom disruptions and total student aggression, as well as two resources, i.e., teacher-student relationship and classroom management. Overall, hair samples were collected M = 120.34 days (SD = 84.39) after the distribution of the questionnaires, and M = 67.63 days (SD = 18.40) prior to the observations. Lesson number, classroom disruptions, as well as total student aggression were all significantly positively correlated with HCC. In addition, both teacher-student relationship and classroom management were significantly negatively related to HCC. With regard to self-rated chronic stress, only the TICS subscale ‘Pressure to perform’ was positively related to HCC. Exploratory moderation analyses revealed that an increasingly good, observed teacher-student relationship buffered the positive association between lesson number and HCC. Our findings show significant associations between HCC and mainly objectively assessable stress, supporting HCC as a biological indicator of chronic stress. In this association, a good relationship between teachers and students acts as a buffer. While the findings underline the importance of examining objective and behavioral data for better understanding the psychobiology of stress, they also support the importance of boostering teachers’ (social) resources to increase their overall resilience.

Predictors of Psychological Strain and Allostatic Load in Teachers: Examining the Long-Term Effects of Biopsychosocial Risk and Protective Factors Using a LASSO Regression Approach.

Teacher stress significantly challenges teachers' health, teaching quality, and students' motivation and achievement. Thus, it is crucial to identify factors that effectively prevent it. Using a LASSO regression approach, we examined which factors predict teachers' psychological strain and allostatic load over two years. The study included 42 teachers (28 female, Mage = 39.66, SD = 11.99) and three measurement time points: At baseline, we assessed teachers' (a) self-reports (i.e., on personality, coping styles, and psychological strain), (b) behavioral data (i.e., videotaped lessons), and (c) allostatic load (i.e., body mass index, blood pressure, and hair cortisol concentration). At 1- and 2-year follow-ups, psychological strain and allostatic load biomarkers were reassessed. Neuroticism and perceived student disruptions at baseline emerged as the most significant risk factors regarding teachers' psychological strain two years later, while a positive core self-evaluation was the most important protective factor. Perceived support from other teachers and the school administration as well as adaptive coping styles were protective factors against allostatic load after two years. The findings suggest that teachers' psychological strain and allostatic load do not primarily originate from objective classroom conditions but are attributable to teachers' idiosyncratic perception of this environment through the lens of personality and coping strategies.

Stress and Coping Mechanisms of Teachers: Basis for A Stress Management Program

Stress and Coping Mechanisms of Teachers: Basis for A Stress Management Program

Technology-supported teaching in times of COVID-19’s first period of emergency remote teaching: an exploratory analysis of influencing factors

In this exploratory study, we evaluated which factors are predictive of technology-supported teaching, conceptualised as Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) competences and related professional development needs, and teachers’ mental health in terms of job satisfaction, work-life balance, and teacher stress during COVID-19’s first period of emergency remote teaching (ERT). In spring 2020, an online questionnaire was administered to gauge factors relevant to (1) shifting to ERT, (2) teachers’ well-being, and (3) teacher characteristics. Data from 309 Dutch teachers across educational sectors were analysed using Structural Equation Modelling in two models. We further explored the results of the model predicting technology-supporting teaching as this showed the most optimal fit. Our analyses show that factors from all three categories contributed to technology-supported teaching during the first educational lockdown, but that competence-related aspects were the strongest predictors. Our results offer directions to strengthen the teaching context to support teachers navigating challenging ERT-periods.

Between a Rock and a Hard Place

Preschool expulsions are increasingly studied in terms of their potential negative outcomes on students. This study examined the relationship between preschool teachers’ workplace experiences and their use of disciplinary actions, including expulsions. It sought to understand the sociological mechanisms and supports of the teacher workplace, and the psychological influences on teacher decision making and perceptions that contribute to disciplinary actions. Whereas prior research has illustrated the harmful consequences of expulsions and how teacher experiences may be related to expulsions, this study aimed to increase knowledge about the influence of workplace factors on discipline, primarily in private preschools, which are relatively under-studied. Preschool teachers from the Denver area participated in semi-structured interviews to gain understanding about their stress, perceptions of challenging behaviors, perceived institutional support, and institutional norms regarding discipline. Using open-coding methods, the qualitative data was analyzed and several key themes were established. The findings indicate that preschool teachers generally lack adequate support, especially in regard to challenging behavior management, and that this creates a great deal of stress. Additionally, although preschool expulsions may be declining, they are being replaced by other exclusionary disciplines, including “soft” expulsions to mitigate teacher stress in the absence of knowledge on how to actively improve challenging behaviors. These findings have important implications as they show there needs to be easily accessible training opportunities concentrated on how to handle challenging behaviors and more opportunities for workplace collaboration to better support teachers in dealing with these behaviors, and thus mitigating the negative consequences of exclusionary discipline. To see the complete thesis, please visit https://scholar.colorado.edu/concern/undergraduate_honors_theses/q811kk96s.