Teachers stress experience during educational reforms

Description

Recent studies indicate that the reported high levels of teachers' stress experience are mainly driven by frequent changes in the school system. While lots of effort has been put into investigating class-related stressors, there is only little knowledge on effects of frequent changes in the educational system (i.e., reforms) on teachers' coping mechanisms and mental health. The present study examines whether different elements (e.g., changes in teaching styles, external testing, data feedback, etc.) of the recently introduced European-wide school reform (i.e., educational standards) are associated with different levels of stress, coping styles, and psychosomatic symptoms. A sample of N=950 teachers at secondary schools in Austria filled in online-questionnaires encompassing questions regarding their private and occupational stress (indexed by challenge/hindrance scales), their coping strategies, personality traits, self-efficacy as well as irritation and psychosomatic symptoms. The results indicate that teachers experience very high levels of stress in general. Specific elements of the reform (i.e., external testing) were associated with significantly higher levels of stress, work irritation, and psychosomatic symptoms as compared to others (i.e., changes in teaching style). Moreover, teachers' coping styles regarding stressors related to the reform differed significantly from coping strategies applied in daily teaching contexts.

Period	12 Jul 2017
Event title	European Congress of Psychology
Event type	Conference
Location	NetherlandsShow on map