How Should Stressors Be Examined in Teachers? Answering Questions about Dimensionality, Generalizability and Predictive Effects Using the Multicontext Stressors Scale

Abstract

Using the Multicontext Stressors Scale (MSS), this study investigates which factorial structure should be used to measure teacher stressors, and the extent to which this factorial structure of MSS remains invariant across gender. Subsequently, grounded in self-determination theory, the present study also examines the extent to which stressors may differentially predict teachers' psychological functioning. Participants were 584 (Mage = 45.04; SD = 8.97) secondary school teachers. Goodness-of-fit indices and estimated parameters of the models, together with latent correlations between stressors, offered support for the six-factor structure, whereas the opposite was true for the one-factor structure of the MSS. Results also supported gender invariance of the MSS. Predictive findings showed that student misbehavior, lack of shared decision-making, and workload stressors are negatively related to basic psychological needs. Likewise, results noted the important role of basic psychological needs to reach optimal teachers' psychological functioning. The results are discussed, arguing the importance of assessing and analyzing teacher stressors using a multifactorial and invariant scale. From a more practical approach, it seems important for school leaders to be especially vigilant about all stressors. Nonetheless, if they desire to prevent detrimental psychological functioning in teachers, special attention should be placed on stressors related to student misbehavior, lack of shared decision-making, and workload.

‘Like a rug had been pulled from under you’: The impact of COVID‐19 on teachers in England during the first six weeks of the UK lockdown

“…The major teacher stressors are usually workload and behaviour management (Catal an et al, 2019;Boyle et al, 1995;Kokkinos, 2007). By contrast, the participants in the current study focused on two rather different stressors.…”

“…This attention may be due to the understanding that prolonged experiences of stress can lead to teachers experiencing burnout which, in turn, is associated with both lower confidence in their ability to do their job (Buri c & Kim, 2020;Skaalvik & Skaalvik, 2010) and intention to quit their job (Buri c & Kim, 2020;Weisberg & Sagie, 1999). Before the current pandemic, the most prominent job stressors for teachers were workload and behaviour management (Catal an et al, 2019;Boyle et al, 1995;Kokkinos, 2007). Recognizing these difficulties, the UK Department for Education (DfE) has supported initiatives to address the challenges of teacher workload (Churches, 2020;Walker et al, 2019) and has outlined a plan to improve the situation (Department for Education, 2019a).…”

“…Teachers have a basic need for relatedness (Catal an et al, 2019), and this was evident in stories which featured their relationships with pupils, parents, and colleagues. Establishing positive teacher-student relationships is not only fundamental to their own well-being (Spilt et al, 2011) but also their pupils' self-esteem, well-being, and engagement (Lavy & Naama-Ghanayim, 2020).…”

‘We need clear directions, if we're going to move forward. It’s as simple as that’: Teachers’ narratives during partial school reopenings in the COVID-19 pandemic

“…Contextualised within the workplace (see Van den Broeck & Ferris, 2016 for a review), those who report their needs being satisfied at work tend to be more effective workers (Gagné & Deci, 2005). Applied to teachers, satisfaction of these three needs is associated with teacher-related and student-related outcomes, including teaching motivation (Catalán et al, 2019), teachers' perceptions of job pressure and burnout (Bartholomew et al, 2014), students' motivation to work and student wellbeing (Poulou, 2020). As COVID-19 has caused major changes it is reasonable to speculate that teachers' needs may not be being met, and this may have implications for their wellbeing and the health of the profession.…”

Teacher Training Can Make a Difference: Tools to Overcome the Impact of COVID-19 on Primary Schools. An Experimental Study

“…Similarly, preventing teacher burnout has been linked to decreases in disruptive behavior among students and greater general stability of the classroom [ 50 , 51 , 52 ], as well as student motivation and academic commitment [ 53 , 54 , 55 , 56 ]. Teachers with low stress levels and no burnout symptoms and classes with high coping skills have been associated with enriched student outcomes [ 57 , 58 , 59 , 60 , 61 , 62 ].…”