Stress and Burnout in Rural and Urban Secondary School Teachers

TLDR

The study examined sources of stress and burnout symptoms among rural and urban secondary school teachers and discussed implications for designing programs to prevent negative effects. The authors surveyed 97 secondary school teachers (51 rural, 46 urban) from 11 school systems in Georgia and North Carolina to assess stress sources and burnout symptoms. Urban teachers reported higher stress from poor working conditions and staff relations, while pupil misbehavior and time pressures were the greatest stressors for both groups, and poor working conditions and time pressures predicted burnout in rural teachers whereas pupil misbehavior and poor working conditions predicted burnout in urban teachers.

Abstract

Abstract Sources of stress and symptoms of burnout were examined in 51 rural and 46 urban secondary school teachers from 11 school systems in Georgia and North Carolina. Urban school teachers experienced significantly more stress from poor working conditions and poor staff relations than did rural school teachers. Stress from pupil misbehavior and time pressures was significantly greater than stress from poor working conditions and poor staff relations for both rural and urban school teachers. Poor working conditions and time pressures predicted burnout for rural school teachers; pupil misbehavior and poor working conditions predicted burnout for urban school teachers. Results were discussed in relation to designing effective programs to prevent negative effects of stress and burnout.