OCCUPATIONAL STRESS, DEPRESSION AND JOB SATISFACTION OF SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS

Authors

  • N.- T Tsarouchas National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, Department of Psychology, University Campus Zografos, GR-157-03, Athens, Greece
  • A. S. Antoniou National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, Department of Primary Education, Ippokratous Str. 20, GR-106-80, Athens, Greece
  • F. Polychroni National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, Department of Psychology, University Campus Zografos, GR-157-03, Athens, Greece

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.46827/ejes.v8i4.3685

Keywords:

occupational stress, depression, anxiety, job satisfaction, special education teachers

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this study is to investigate occupational stress, depression and anxiety of primary education special education teachers, as well as levels of job satisfaction and how these are related to a number of demographic variables. Method: One hundred (100) special education teachers (39 males & 61 females) from the Regional Directorate of Attica took part in this study. Four self-report questionnaires were administered to the participants, i.e., the Perceived Stress Scale-14, the Depression Anxiety Stress-21, the Employee Satisfaction Inventory scale, and the Job Satisfaction Scale. A short health status questionnaire was also administered to the participants with questions related to the demographic data of the participants (gender, age, etc.), questions related to the work of the participants (level of education, years of service, etc.), as well as questions related to participants' health (e.g. "How good is your health?"). The statistical package SPSSv.21 was used for statistical analysis of the data. A variety of descriptive measures (frequency, percentages, mean, etc.) were used to describe the results. Pearson's linear correlation coefficient r was used to test the correlation between two variables. Additionally, the PROCESS macro (version 3) for SPSS was used in order to conduct moderation analysis. Results: The results showed that participants reported moderate levels of perceived stress, anxiety and depression, as well as levels of job satisfaction. Negative correlations between perceived stress and job satisfaction and between depression and job satisfaction were observed. Regarding stress and health status, elevated levels of stress were related to poorer health. Furthermore, correlations between stress, anxiety and depression with job satisfaction appeared to be influenced by gender, and in most cases the correlations had different directions between males and females. Therefore, occupational stress, depression and anxiety can be considered as predictors of the health status of special education teachers, as high levels of occupational stress and anxiety are strongly related to low levels of self-reported health-well-being, satisfaction. Conclusions: The results of this study highlight the need to explore the mental health of special education needs teachers that are associated with specific physical health issues so that measures can be taken for the development of prevention programs and personal strategies in order to cope with stress, anxiety and depression in teachers.

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Author Biographies

  • N.- T Tsarouchas, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, Department of Psychology, University Campus Zografos, GR-157-03, Athens, Greece
    Nektarios-Theocharis Tsarouchas is a PhD candidate of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, a Psychologist, a graduate of the Royal University of Wales and a Social Worker of the Higher Technological Educational Institution of Patras. He is also holding a diploma of the Educator for Children with Special Needs, at the level of post-secondary education. His postgraduate studies are in the following postgraduate programs: a) Promotion of Mental Health - Prevention of Mental Disorders, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens - M.sc b) Stress Management and Health Promotion, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens - M.sc c) Educational Sciences-Special Education, Department of Primary Education, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens - M.sc and also a PhD candidate in Educational-School Psychology, School of Philosophy, Department of Psychology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. He has written articles in international-European journals and sites, in the proceedings of University conferences, as well as the National Documentation Center, in psychosocial rehabilitation of the mentally ill, in mental disorders, in the stigma of mental illness, in general-special education and training, in work stress, burnout, job satisfaction, substance abuse, etc. Academia.edu: https://uoa.academia.edu/NektariosTheocharisTsarouchas.
  • A. S. Antoniou, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, Department of Primary Education, Ippokratous Str. 20, GR-106-80, Athens, Greece
    Alexandros-Stamatios Antoniou is an Associate Professor of Psychology at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece and Director of the Postgraduate Program “Special Educational Needs and Instruction”. He holds undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in Psychology, Philosophy, Education and Management from universities in Greece and in the UK. He has participated as a national coordinator/researcher in many research programmes and he has served as a scientific advisor in the National Council of Radio-Television. His research interests include work well-being, educational psychology, leadership and organisational behaviour. His publications include 5 books and many research papers and chapters. He is also the co-editor of 12 international volumes.
  • F. Polychroni, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, Department of Psychology, University Campus Zografos, GR-157-03, Athens, Greece
    Fotini Polychroni, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in Educational Psychology at the Department of Psychology, at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. She studied Psychology at the University of Athens and continued her postgraduate studies at the University of Manchester, United Kingdom where she received a Masters degree in educational psychology and special educational needs and a Ph.D. in educational psychology. She is a licensed psychologist. She has published her work in peer-reviewed journals and edited books and she has numerous presentations in Greek and international conferences. Her main research interests include motivation, cognitive and metacognitive strategies of typical children with and without learning disabilities, assessment of cognitive and metacognitive processes and psychosocial adjustment, screening and early identification of reading and comprehension difficulties, school engagement and intervention effectiveness.

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Published

2021-04-16

Issue

Vol. 8 No. 4 (2021)

Section

Articles

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