Teacher Stress and Satisfaction

Abstract

The present study investigated the association between self‐reported teacher stress and three response correlates of teacher stress: job satisfaction, absenteeism and intention to leave teaching. The study took the form of a questionnaire survey involving a sample of 218 teachers in 16 medium‐sized mixed comprehensive schools in England. The results indicated that self‐reported teacher stress was negatively associated with job satisfaction (r = —.27; p<.01), and positively associated with intention to leave teaching (r = .18; p<.01), as predicted. The association between self‐reported teacher stress and frequency of absences failed to reach significance, but for total days absent the association was significant and in the predicted direction, positive (rho = .12; p<.05). The relationship between particular sources of stress and the three response correlates was also investigated, as were biographical differences and the effects of biographical characteristics in moderating these relationships.