Teachers' work, well-being, and health

Abstract

The aims of the study were (a) to describe, evaluate and compare the local environment and school, personal and professional background, composition of work and time budget, sociocultural relations, interpersonal relations, job satisfaction and psychological well-being, and stress and health mong teachers of different school levels; and (b) to explore the path structure of the correlations between these variable groups, ie. an attempt was made to develop a macro-model describing the correlational determination of well-being among teachers. The population of the study consisted of the membership of the Teachers' Trade Union (OAJ), from which a systematic sample of 2,618 persons was drawn. The material was collected in the form of a postal inquiry; the rate of return was 75 %. The intercorrelations of the research variables were analysed by means of the latent variables path analysis. In regard to health and most psychosomatic and psychological stress symptoms, teachers form a relatively healthy occupational group. The prevalence of certain stress symptoms (eg. tiredness and headache), however, is rather high. The results on interpersonal and, especially, on sociocultural relations suggest a rather high rate of impairment of well-being. A teachers' self-reports about his pupil relations are the strongest correlates of his job satisfaction and psychological well-being. Smaller effects are shown by staff and parent relations and by satisfaction with material working conditions. Urban environments are associated with less satisfying relations with school authorities and pupils. A large school size has some negative effects upon staff relations and possibilities of influencing one's own work.