Nearly all middle school teachers are highly stressed

Researchers from the University of Missouri have found that 94% of middle school teachers experience high levels of stress, which could contribute to negative outcomes for students. Researchers say that reducing the burden of teaching experienced by so many teachers is critical to improve student success, both academically and behaviourally.

The new study expands on work looking at stress among elementary school teachers. It provides additional evidence that teacher stress might lead to negative outcomes for students.

Keith Herman, a professor in the MU College of Education along with fellow MU researchers Wendy Reinke, Sara Prewett, Colleen Eddy and Alyson Savale, studied data collected from nine middle schools in two neighboring urban school districts in the Midwest. Factors that went into the analysis included self-reported levels of teacher stress and coping, student disruptive and prosocial behavior, and parent involvement.

The researchers found that nearly all teachers reported high stress. They also found that teachers varied in how they coped with stress.

"Unfortunately our findings suggest many teachers are not getting the support they need to adequately cope with the stressors of their job," Herman said. He suggests that school districts provide access to initiatives and programs that promote mental health to improve conditions for middle school teachers. This can include wellness programs, organizational support for teachers and mental health interventions.

(Source: University of Missouri-Columbia and Science Daily)