Assessment of Workplace Stress: Occupational Stress, Its Consequences, and Common Causes of Teacher Stress.

Abstract

This chapter introduces teachers and other education professionals to assessment of occupational stress. It begins with a brief discussion of what occupational is, and overview of consequences of prolonged stress, and a review of common causes of stress. Next, it presents methods for reducing occupational through organizational and individual initiatives. Finally, it reviews psychological tests that can be used to assess types and sources of within schools...(Contains 22 references.) (GCP) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are best that can be made from original document. Assessment of Workplace Stress: Occupational Stress, Its Consequences, and Common Causes of Teacher Stress By Jo-Ida Hansen Brandon A. Sullivan U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) O This document has been reproduced as received from person or organization originating it. O Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. Points of view or opinions stated in this document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy. BEST COPY AV/11111.A f LE Chapter 43 Assessment of Workplace Stress Occupational Stress, Its Consequences, and Common Causes of Teacher Stress Jo-Ida C. Hansen & Brandon A. Sullivan 611 There is now overwhelming evidence of what many educators have known for years: Teaching is a highly stressful occupation. In fact, teachers throughout world deal with a substantial amount of ongoing occupational (e.g., Guglielmi & Tatrow, 1998; Kyriacou & Sutcliffe, 1978; Pithers & Soden, 1998; Borg, 1990). As a result, for past 25 years there has been an active subfield within educational psychology and occupational health psychology focused on what is termed stress (see Kyriacou, 2001, for a discussion). Thehigh level of associated with teaching has serious implications for healthy functioning of individual teachers and schools, and entire school systems. Because this can take a variety of forms and have many different sources, a comprehensive assessment is an important component of any reduction effort. In this chapter we introduce teachers and other education professionals to assessment of occupational stress. We begin with a brief discussion of what occupational is, an overview of consequences of prolonged stress, and a review of common causes of stress. Next, we present methods for reducing occupational through organizational and individual initiatives. Finally, we review psychological tests that can be used to assess types and sources of within schools. Occupational Stress and Its Consequences Teacher has been defined as the experience by a of unpleasant, negative emotions, such as anger, anxiety, tension, frustration, or depression, resulting from some aspect of their work as a teacher (Kyriacou, 2001, p. 28). This definition probably is close to what most teachers mean when they talk about stress. For purposes of 3 Assessment of Workplace Stress