Current Knowledge on the Nature, Prevalence, Sources and Potential Impact of Teacher Stress

This chapter will review current research on teacher stress, identifying its nature, causes and prevalence within the contemporary teaching context. It will also examine the potential impact teacher stress can have on teachers, the pupils they teach and wider society. In addition, it will review the evidence regarding the relative influence of key school-related factors, demographics and individual teacher characteristics on teacher stress, so as to identify those teachers who are most ‘at risk’. It will conclude by offering a critique of the methodologies employed, whilst suggesting some innovative approaches for investigating teachers’ working lives. Teaching has been acknowledged as one of the most stressful of all occupations. Reports on the prevalence of stress among educators suggest that the pressures that these particular professionals encounter, are increasing. This is in spite of a large amount of research into their working experiences. Many of the identified sources of teacher stress have remained consistent over time, though constantly changing sociological and environmental factors and educational practices and policies have brought other stressors into the frame.