Teacher Stress Inventory Research Articles

A Probe into the Occupational Stress of the Teacher Educators of Self-financed B.Ed. Colleges

Now-a-days stress has become an integral part of life; our teacher educators, the main spring of teacher education, are also feeling stress to meet up their professional challenges. The present study was carried out through descriptive survey method to understand the nature and extend of occupational stress prevalent among the teacher educators. To collect data “Teacher Stress Inventory (TSI)” was administered on a random sample of 300 teacher educators, chosen from self-financed B.Ed. colleges of South 24 Parganas in West Bengal. It was observed that the teacher educators on an average scored high in Time Management, Work Related Stress, Professional Distress, Discipline and Motivation, Professional Investment, Emotional Manifestation and Teachers Stress in totality, but low in Fatigue Manifestation, Cardio-vascular Manifestation, Gastro-Vascular Manifestation and Behavioural Manifestation factors of TSI. But in all of the cases the mean was above the “mild strength rating” (i.e. 1.9); so it was noticeable. From the result it might be concluded that the teacher educators were forced to experience high to noticeable amount of occupational stress and the plight was the same in case of both genders.

A scoping review of the literature on interventions to reduce stress and burnout among teachers.

IntroductionExperience of chronic stress among professionals is a risk factor for poor mental and physical well-being. There is limited knowledge regarding the kinds of interventions, and outcomes achieved using different modalities to address stress and burnout among teachers.ObjectivesTo undertake a scoping review of recent literature to determine psychological interventions and reported outcomes related to stress and burnout among teachers.MethodsThe PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews was followed. Relevant search terms were used to determine different interventions adopted to reduce teachers’ stress and burnout. Articles published between 2018 and 2022 were identified using five bibliographic databases. Relevant articles were extracted, reviewed, collated, and thematically analyzed, and findings s were summarized.Results Forty studies conducted in Asia, North America, Oceania, Europe, and Africa, met the inclusion criteria. Sixteen kinds of burnout and stress-reduction interventions were identified. The most popularly studied intervention were Mindfulness-Based Interventions alone or in combination with yoga or Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), followed by Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT). Mindfulness-Based Interventions led to decreased overall Teacher Stress Inventory (TSI) and emotional exhaustion subscale scores. REBT, primarily used with special education teachers, especially in Africa, has also shown positive results. Other interventions reporting positive outcomes include Inquiry-Based Stress Reduction (IBSR), the Stress Management and Resiliency Training Program (SMART), Cyclic Meditation, Group Sandplay, Progressive Muscle Relaxation, Autogenic Training, Sport-Based Physical Activity, Emotional Intelligence Ability Models and Christian Prayer and Prayer-ReflectionImage:ConclusionsStress and burnout can have a negative impact on teachers and, very often, on the students they teach. Implementing suitable school-based interventions are necessary to improve teachers’ stress-coping ability, reduce the likelihood of burnout and improve general well-being. Policymakers, governments, school boards and administrators should prioritize the implementation of school-based awareness and intervention programs to mitigate teacher stress and burnout.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

A DOR NOS TEMPOS DA COVID-19: TRANSTORNO DE ADAPTAÇÃO NOS PROFESSORES DO ENSINO SUPERIOR BRASILEIRO

ABSTRACT: This paper presents the results of longitudinal research to identify professors’ adaptation and stress and anxiety levels during the COVID-19 pandemic. We conducted cross-sectional, exploratory, quantitative, and qualitative fieldwork. We used three instruments (the International Adjustment Disorder Questionnaire to identify the adjustment disorder, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory to measure the anxiety state, and the Teacher Stress Inventory to measure professors’ stress) and socio-biographical questions. We analyzed the data through descriptive statistics and logistic regression. We also included an open question for professors to express their feelings openly. We analyzed these testimonies through word clouds, and six were transformed into a video: https://youtu.be/N6q7iz09WWk. To obtain the data, we followed 129 professors for one year during the pandemic. We found that approximately 3 out of 4 professors in the sample experienced adjustment disorder during the data collection period, and 1 out of 2 professors had a high level of state anxiety. The following factors were associated with the probability of not being adapted to the pandemic: being a woman, being married, and having a negative perception of their daily lives after so many restrictions and risks. However, other factors could contribute to professors’ adjustment: years of teaching, a positive perception of their physical health, and the non-use of substances such as alcohol, cigarettes, medication, and others. Therefore, we identified the psychosocial vulnerability of professors during the pandemic. Consequently, we highlight the need to develop public and private policies to unequivocally contribute to these individuals’ adjustment, especially considering the negative repercussions this situation can have over the years.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN JOB SATISFACTION AND JOB STRESS AMONG HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS

The fundamental reason behind directing the review is to examine the “Relationship between job satisfaction and job stress among High School teachers in Public and Private sectors”. The population of the study contained all the Public and Private High Schools of District Malakand. All the male teachers of Public and Private High Schools in district Malakand were target for the population of the study. Sample of 50 teachers from Public and 50 teachers from Private were selected randomly from the target population of Public and Private High Schools of District Malakand. The tools used were Teachers Job Satisfaction scaled questionnaire consisting 15 items and Teacher Stress Inventory questionnaire consisting 15 items. Data was analyzed through SPSS. Frequencies, percentages, and Means were used as descriptive statistics for organizing and summarizing data while “Correlation (Spearman's rho)” was used as inferential statistics to analyze data and get the results. From the findings of this research, it’s clear that the majority of the teachers of Government High Schools in district Malakand were satisfied in teaching job, while the majority of the teachers of Private High Schools in district Malakand were not satisfied in teaching job. According to current study less the stress more the satisfaction in the prescribed jobs and vice versa. Furthermore, this study indicates that the ability of teachers to deal with workplace stress can be minimize by better handling physical and mental pressures at work and this can lead to an improvement in the level of optimistic moral ethics, job satisfaction, social and attitudinal results such as commitment and teachers’ efficiency. The uplifting outlook of the head, understudies and partner helps a great deal in further developing the work fulfillment of teacher. The chief really must stay away from tyrannical way of behaving; he ought to be a decent manager, who finishes the work proficiently without harming the pride of the teachers. He ought to take on a directing way to deal with the issues of the teachers and never point at their flaws in public.

Influence of Job Stress and Work Environment on Teachers’ Work-Family Conflict in Ijebu North Public Secondary Schools, Ogun State, Nigeria

Work-family conflicts have become increasingly important for organizations to consider. Its challenges in the world of work and family in recent decades have stimulated much research on the subject matter. Also, there are a number of factors that can lead to increased work-family conflict. Therefore, this study investigated the influence of job stress and work environment on teachers’ work-family conflict in Ijebu North public secondary schools, Ogun State, Nigeria. Two hypotheses were formulated and tested to guide this study. A descriptive survey research design was employed in this study. The population for the study consisted of all teachers in public secondary schools in Ijebu North local government of Ogun State, Nigeria. A sample of one hundred and twenty (120) respondents was selected for this study using multi-stage sampling procedure and simple random sampling technique. Four (4) research instruments were used for the study. The instruments are Demographic Data Form (DDF), Teacher Stress Inventory (TSI), Work-Family Conflict Scale (WFCS) and Work Environment Questionnaire (WEQ). Findings of the study revealed that there was a significant composite and relative contribution of job stress and work environment on teachers’ work-family conflict in Ijebu-North Public Secondary Schools, Ogun State, Nigeria (R=.320; R2 =.103; F (2, 117) = 6.691; P<.05). Work environment is the most potent predictor of teachers’ work-family conflict in Ijebu-North Local Government (B = .280; t = 2.803, P > 0.01) followed by job stress (B = 0.71; t = .705, P > 0.01). Based on these findings, it was recommended among others that the school as an organisation should assist teachers to better coordinate workplace and family roles by offering family-friendly benefits. It was also suggested that the school should create a good atmosphere for teachers so as to be able to relax and have fun during leisure hours.

Experience of stress and job satisfaction among government and private elementary school teachers

Changes in the teaching methods of students, especially during the COVID-19 crisis phase and the endemic transition, caused increased teacher stress. Therefore, this study examines the relationship between teacher stress and job satisfaction among government and private elementary school teachers. This study used a cross-sectional survey design in which elementary school teachers in Gombak were selected by convenience sampling. One hundred and fifty elementary school teachers participated in this study, including 75 government and 75 private elementary school teachers. The online questionnaire consists of the Teacher Stress Inventory (TSI) and the Short-Form Minnesota Questionnaire (MSQ). Descriptive analysis, Pearson’s correlation, and the independent t-test were used to find the relationship between teacher stress and job satisfaction and the difference between teacher stress and job satisfaction between government and private elementary school teachers. Findings revealed a negative correlation between teacher stress and job satisfaction [r(148)= -0.23, p = 0.005]. Furthermore, there is a significant difference in teacher stress and job satisfaction between government and private elementary school teachers [t(148) = 2.50, p = 0.014]. Private school teachers have been found to have higher teacher stress and job satisfaction than government school teachers. Although, with some limitations, the present study has contributed to existing knowledge and literature identifying why teachers’ well-being needs greater attention, as well as alarming the management of both private and government schools, providing avenues to reduce the stress level among teachers in promoting job satisfaction and enhancing teaching effectiveness.

Interventions to Reduce Stress and Burnout among Teachers: A Scoping Review.

Background: Teaching is recognized as a highly challenging profession. Experience of chronic stress is a risk factor for poor mental and physical well-being, and burnout. There is limited knowledge regarding optimal interventions to address stress and burnout among teachers. Objective: To undertake a scoping review of the literature in the last five years to determine various psychological interventions to address stress and burnout among teachers. Method: The PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews was followed. Relevant search terms were used to determine different interventions adopted to reduce teachers' stress and burnout. Articles published between 2018 and 2022 were identified using five bibliographic databases. Relevant articles were extracted, reviewed, collated, and thematically analyzed, and findings s were summarized. Results: Forty studies conducted in Asia, North America, Oceania, Europe, and Africa, met the inclusion criteria. Sixteen kinds of burnout and stress-reduction interventions were identified. The most popularly studied intervention were Mindfulness-Based Interventions alone or in combination with yoga or Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), followed by Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT). Mindfulness-Based Interventions led to decreased overall Teacher Stress Inventory (TSI) and emotional exhaustion subscale scores. REBT, primarily used with special education teachers, especially in Africa, has also shown positive results. Other interventions reporting positive outcomes include Inquiry-Based Stress Reduction (IBSR), the Stress Management and Resiliency Training Program (SMART), Cyclic Meditation, Group Sandplay, Progressive Muscle Relaxation, Autogenic Training, Sport-Based Physical Activity, Emotional Intelligence Ability Models and Christian Prayer and Prayer-Reflection. Conclusions: Stress and burnout can have a negative impact on teachers and, very often, on the students they teach. Implementing suitable school-based interventions is necessary to improve teachers' stress-coping ability, reduce the likelihood of burnout and improve general well-being. Policymakers, governments, school boards and administrators should prioritize the implementation of school-based awareness and intervention programs.

Teachers’ work demands and chronic fatigue – moderating role of resilience

Introduction: The experience of professional demands in the case of teachers is a problem that goes beyond the in-dividual challenges of the subject. None of us would like to be taught by someone constantly tired. On the other hand, teachers play an essential role in passing on knowledge and educating the youngest generations, so the future of each citizen indirectly depends on them. Therefore, the broadly understood well-being of this professional group is a socially and thus scientifically significant problem. One of the resources that can be a salutogenic factor in the face of the burdens that teachers ex¬perience is resilience – a relatively constant personality trait. According to the Job De¬mands-Resources Theory (JD-R, Bakker, Demerouti, 2017) and the Conservation of Resources Theory (COR, Hobfoll, 2006) resilience may not only reduce the adverse effects of high professional demands but also promote personal development. Method: The research aimed to determine the moderating role of resilience between the job demands and chronic fatigue. The study was longitudinal, with a five-month break between subsequent measurements. One hundred sixty-seven teachers participated (some data, average age, gender proportions). I collected the research material using the diagnostic survey method, which included the following research instruments: Resilience Measurement Scale (SPP-25), Checklist Individual Stenght (CIS20R) and selected scales from the Teacher Stress Inventory (TSI). Results: In the study sample, only two dimensions of resilience (understood as a relatively constant property of the individual) moderated the relationship between work-related stressors and the manifestations of chronic teacher fatigue. Conclusions: The results of the research suggest the need to develop good practices in the field of shaping resilience and, consequently, the sense of well-being of teachers and the effectiveness and efficiency of teaching related to it.

The Effect Of Teacher Stress On Teacher Well-Being In Teachers Who Teach On Inclusive Elementary School

This research aims to find effects of teachers’ stress on teacher well-being in teachers of inclusive elementary schools. This is a quantitative research with one predictor linear regression analysis. Samples in this research were 117 inclusive elementary schools collected using the accidental sampling. Variable of teachers’ stress was measured using Teacher Stress Inventory (TSI) developed by Collie and variable of teacher well-being was measured using Teacher Well-Being Scale (TWBS) developed by Firman & Fastenau. The research results showed significance value (ρ) OG 0.000, which was smaller than 0.5, and it was found that F-count was 29.795 and F-table was 3.92. It meant that teachers’ stress provided significant effects on teacher well-being in teachers of inclusive elementary schools. This study concluded that if teachers experience high levels of stress, it will reduce their level of teacher well-being. In addition, it was found that R-square was 0.206, which meant that teachers’ stress provided effect of 20.6% on teacher well-being in teachers of inclusive elementary schools.

Occupational Stress and Job Satisfaction of Public-School Teachers in Distance Education: A Quantitative Analysis

The study focused onOccupational Stress and Job Satisfaction of Public-School Teachers in Distance Education using the descriptive correlational technique. Furthermore, the study will look into whether there was a link between the degree of occupational stress, and levels of job satisfaction among the public-school teachers. The study was conducted in the province of Cebu. The respondents of the study are the 90 teachers selected using the systematic Random sampling method. Moreover, the research instrument used was the 36-item Teacher Stress Inventory (TSI) (Schutz and. Long, 1988) and the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ-short form) to measure intrinsic and extrinsic job factors of employees. The study yielded that teachers are experiencing some type of stress in the workplace which may be due to the added responsibilities in distance learning. Likewise, despite the stress and the additional obligations brought on by the epidemic, teachers were satisfied with their jobs. In addition, the study found a significant relationship between the Level of Occupational Stress and the Level of Job Satisfaction of Teachers.

Validity & Reliability of Teacher Stress Inventory to measure Occupational Stress among Secondary School Teachers in Sri Lanka

Official publication of the College of Community Physicians of Sri Lanka and was established in 1995. Full text articles available.Journal of the College of Community Physicians of Sri Lanka (JCCPSL) has been recognised by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) as a publication following the ICMJE Recommendations. The journal is indexed in DOAJ.Manuscripts are only accepted online through the portal of the JCCPSL https://jccpsl.sljol.info/ . The prospective authors must read carefully the section on Author Guidelines and prepare their manuscript accordingly. To submit a manuscript or to check the status of a submission the authors must first be registered in the JCCPSL Editorial Management System using an existing or newly created username and password. Next, choose the ‘Start Submission’ link and follow the five-step article submission process which is a simple and self-guided process.

Accounting Faculty mental health: coping strategies against stress,

ABSTRACT This study sought to investigate which coping strategies are most frequently used by accounting faculty and how they can modulate the perceived stress. The higher education academic environment is filled with events that are stressful in nature; however, little effort, especially in the area of accounting, has been employed in seeking to understand and propose guidelines that can improve well-being and pleasure in the teaching profession. A coping strategy is a behavior that protects the individual from psychological damage related to problematic social experiences; it is through these behaviors that individuals manage their day-to-day experiences, thus helping to maintain their mental health. The discussion about the use of strategies for coping with stress lacks an approach in higher education institutions (HEIs), as it indicates that various strategies are being employed ineffectively and signals that three of the statistically significant strategies belong to the dimension of those focused on dysfunctional emotions. And, more seriously, of those three strategies, two (self-reproach and denial) have further contributed to increasing the perception of stress. The Teacher Stress Inventory (TSI), composed of 26 questions with a five-point Likert scale, and the Brief COPE (Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Inventory), with 28 items and a four-point scale, were employed together with sociodemographic questions. An electronic questionnaire was sent to two thousand accounting faculty in Brazil. Altogether, 563 faculty members answered the questions. The analysis was conducted through association and multiple linear regression tests. It was verified that the average stress reported by the faculty members was 63% of the maximum TSI score, and the most prevalent strategies measured by the Brief COPE were planning, active coping, positive reinterpretation, use of instrumental support, self-reproach, and religion. Through linear regression estimation, it was concluded that two coping strategies (active coping and behavioral divestment) negatively moderated the faculty members’ stress, but two others (self-reproach and denial) raised their perception of stress. Moreover, it was discovered that the faculty members who were most vulnerable to stress use less adaptive coping strategies more intensely.

Effectiveness of interventions on the stress management of schoolteachers: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundThis systematic review aimed to analyse the effectiveness of interventions on the stress management of schoolteachers.MethodsWe searched the Medline, PsycINFO, CINAHL and Education Research Complete until 30 November 2021, to...

Teacher personality traits as a determinant of stress perception and mental health

Numerous research studies have shown that teaching profession is one of those most susceptible to stress. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, there are also some additional aggravating circumstances which might be considered stress factors among teachers, primarily a low socio-economic status and forced adaptation to systematic school changes. Moreover, teachers are often victims of a social and moral crisis as well as of the changed roles in education. This paper aims to provide an insight into the current state of teachers' mental health, the presence of stress and stress factors, and to investigate whether and to what extent personality traits and social and economic factors are significant predictors of teachers' perception of stress and their mental health. The following instruments were used: BIG 5, Teacher Stress Inventory (TSI) and Mental Health Inventory (MHI). The sample comprised 181 teachers working in state elementary and high schools in B&H. The results indicate that a moderate level of stress is present among teachers. The stress sources are mainly professional limitations (M=2,56), the issue of discipline and students' motivation (M=2,46), and stress factors related to profession (M=2,47) – large classes, too much paperwork, too little time and money for preparation. The most common manifestations of stress are cardiovascular disorders (M=2,02), fatigue (M=1,91) and emotional disorders (M=1,87). Statistically significant correlations were found between personality traits of extroversion of comfort, conscientiousness, neuroticism and openness, ranging from 0,169 to 0,381. The strongest correlation existed between neuroticism and extroversion. Neuroticism was mainly found to correlate positively with the subscales of stress and stress manifestations, while extroversion was in a negative correlation with stress perception and manifestation. In terms of the correlation between personality traits and MHI subscales, the correlation was in the range between 0,218 and 0,590, with the subscale of neuroticism showing moderately high correlation with anxiety, depression, behavior and emotional control, psychological instability, but also demonstrating negative correlation with psychological well-being, general positive affect and general mental health index. The regression analysis showed that the personality traits of neuroticism and extroversion, but also of conscientiousness, i.e., comfort, were significant predictors of teachers’ mental health and their stress perception. Neuroticism was a significant predictor of time management, professional limitations, discipline and motivation, but also of emotional manifestations of fatigue, cardiovascular disorders, and the total score on the scale of stress, anxiety, depression, the loss of emotional and behavior control, psychological instability, psychological well-being and mental health in general. Extroversion was a significant predictor of professional limitations, discipline and motivation, emotional manifestations, while consciousness significantly predicted gastrointestinal disorders, and comfort predicted depression, psychological instability and the index of mental health. Among social and economic factors, age was a significant predictor of emotional manifestation of stress, while working experience and level of education were significant predictors of gastrointestinal disorders. Keywords: personality traits, stress among teachers, teachers’ mental health.

Relationship between sources and manifestations of stress among faculty members in Isabela State University

Stress is inevitable in any workplace. Stressed teachers in every school are prone to exhaustion and commit errors. In the Philippines, few studies have been discussed due to stress among faculty members, especially in tertiary education. In this study, the researchers shed light on sources, manifestations, and levels of stress, and discovered the relationship between sources and their manifestations among faculty members of the eight colleges of the Isabela State University-Main Campus. Data were randomly collected from 165 respondents, through the Teacher Stress Inventory developed by Fimian. Data revealed that the main sources and manifestations of stress by the respondents were Work-related and Professional Investment, and Fatigue Manifestations. The level of stress among the respondents was moderate. Likewise, the sources and manifestations of stress were found significantly correlated to each other. Results of the study press on the development of a proposed Stress Management Program supportive and essential in managing and coping stress of the faculty member

Job Stress in Physiotherapy Teachers During COVID-19 Pandemic: A Survey

Background: Stress can affect a person in every day of life, in work, home etc. all the jobs can cause stress in varying degree. Related to work, such as teaching and jobs can cause more stress. Teacher stress has been defined as the experience by a teacher of negative, unpleasant three emotions such as the tension, anger, and depression as a result of some aspect of their work as a teacher. Methodology: A simple random sampling of 500 participants were included all over the India, from which 211 participants responded through google forms that were created and distributed through various social media platforms. Participants were screened according to inclusion and exclusion criteria and hence 197 participants were in total included in the study. The selected participants were asked to fill the Teacher’s Stress inventory scale. Data analysis which included summarizing the collected data, analytical and logical reasoning was done. Result: Using 5 point -Likert scale, the average of 1.0-2 was 6%, the average derived 2.1-3 was 45%, similar result was obtained for the range between 3.1-4, whereas for the average 4.1-5 only 4% was observed. On comparing the cumulative results amongst males and females along with its average of 3.14 and 3.08 respectively, no significant difference was observed, since the t-test value was 0.5295. The standard deviation seen was ±0.64 and ±0.48 in males and females respectively. Conclusion: After the application of Teacher Stress Inventory- Revised Scale amongst Indian physiotherapist teachers, this study concluded that on an average, the teachers experience stress quite often amid COVID-19 Pandemic. Although there wasn’t any significant gender wise difference. KEY WORDS: Job stress, Physiotherapy Teachers, COVID-19 Pandemic.

Present-Moment Awareness and the Prosocial Classroom: Educators’ Lived Experience of Mindfulness

This study seeks to better understand the lived experience of teachers who participate in mindfulness training and its effects on their classrooms by evaluating a mindfulness-based teacher professional development curriculum. Eighty teachers and other school staff completed an 8-week mindfulness training program; pre- and post-test scales were administered, along with individual exit interviews and focus groups. This study focuses mainly on the qualitative findings and one subset of the quantitative findings (the Time Management Stress Subscale in the Teacher Stress Inventory). Teachers described their experience of slowing, pausing, and stopping as a key component of greater social-emotional competence in the classroom. The findings add to what we already know about how mindfulness skills empower teachers to respond to classroom pressures in ways that improve classroom culture for the benefit of both educators and students. Cultivating present-moment awareness through mindfulness training may improve the social-emotional competence of educators and support the prosocial classroom. More research is needed to determine if helping educators change their relationship to time may be an important key to accessing greater levels of awareness that allow for the development of mind states that form the basis of the prosocial classroom.

Music Teacher Self-Perceived Vocal Health and Job-Related Stress

Abstract Vocal health and job-related stress issues have both become endemic with teaching. Oftentimes, vocal health issues and/or stress lead to “burnout” and can result in teachers leaving the profession entirely. Stress is a confounding variable addressed by researchers in previous vocal health literature, but they rarely examine both as equally contributing factors (Dietrich, Abbott, Gartner-Schmidt, & Rosen, 2008; Gotaas & Starr, 1993; Seifert & Kollbrunner, 2005). The purpose of this study was to examine self-reported vocal health and job-related stress in prekindergarten to 12th-grade school music teachers. A questionnaire containing the Voice Handicap Index (VHI; Jacobson et al., 1997) and Teacher Stress Inventory (TSI; Fimian, 1984) was disseminated to members of a larger music educator association in the United States (N = 3,741). Completed surveys (n = 372) were collected and results indicate that there is a correlation between vocal health concerns and job-related stress. Results also suggest that teachers with less teaching experience report higher levels of stress. Finally, results showed that female music teachers report higher levels of vocal health issues and that choir teachers reported the highest scores of both vocal health issues and job-related stress.

Effects of Mindfulness Training on School Teachers' Self-Reported Personality Traits As Well As Stress and Burnout Levels.

Among a sample of only female school teachers, we compared a mindfulness meditation (MM) training group ( n = 19) with a waiting-list control group ( n = 20) on several participant-completed questionnaires: the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire, the Big Five Personality Inventory, the Teacher Stress Inventory, and the Maslach Burnout Inventory. With these measures, we assessed the participants’ dispositional mindfulness, personality styles, and their stress and burnout. Following mindfulness training, teachers in the MM group showed higher trait mindfulness and conscientiousness and lower neuroticism and stress and burnout levels than teachers in the waiting-list control group. These results support the beneficial role of MM in individuals’ effective management of stressful conditions in the workplace.

Stress and Empathy in Teachers at General and Special Education Schools

ABSTRACT The aim of the present study was to examine the differences in the intensity of the sources of teacher stress and in the degree of empathy among teachers in elementary education with regard to the educational setting in which they work. Data were collected from 101 elementary school teachers using the Teacher Stress Inventory and the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI). Differences in the intensity of overall stress were not statistically significant. With both groups of teachers the greatest intensity of stress is connected with problematic classes and insufficient salary. Statistically significant differences were not detected between GES and SES either on the subscales or the aggregate scores of the IRI.GES teachers demonstrated a statistically significant relation between the scores on the scale of stress sources and those on the scale of overall empathy. There is a significant correlation between scores on the scale of Sources of stress and the subscale of Personal distress in both groups. By summing up the results, we identified various types of connectivity between particular stressors and the level of empathy of GES and SES teachers, both in the relationship to the overall score on the IRI and to the results on the subscales.