Teachers Wellbeing: Becoming Aware of Work-Relate Stress Dissertation

Abstract

The impact of stresses in learning environments on students’ well-being is a subject of research that is being studied in more significant numbers. However, the effects of work-related pressure on educators’ well-being have received little attention from studies. Teacher self-efficacy pertains to an instructor’s belief in their ability to conduct occupation-related responsibilities satisfactorily and positively impact students’ educational performance (Poulou et al., 2019). This research will examine how teachers’ well-being and self-efficacy are affected by extreme stress conditions brought on by workplace stressors. It will also determine if instructors with high levels of self-efficacy are more productive and have a good outlook on their profession when they feel equipped to complete tasks. To further comprehend the connection between self-efficacy, burnout, well-being, and stress, this work will use a correlational research methodology to examine a few specific issues. To compensate for mistakes in data collection, the study will enroll 150 individuals. The Porterville Unified School District (PUSD), which has 10 elementary schools, will be used to find participants. The Ohio State Teacher’s Sense of Efficacy Scale will be used as an aspect of this research to gauge the challenges experienced by teachers in the classroom. The World Health Organization-Five Well-being Index, the Teacher Burnout Scale, and the Perceived Stress Scale will be applied to gauge the participants’ stress, well-being, and burnout levels. The importance of this study is that the information would support psychologists in creating efficient treatment programs for educators who seek mental health. For instance, offering instructors methods to cope effectively, practicing mindfulness, teaching them how to control their emotions when they are upset, helping them develop personal objectives, and leveraging their well-being to lessen mental health symptoms like anxiety and despair

Background

A growing amount of research has been conducted to examine the way stressors in educational environments impact the well-being of students (Houchens et al., 2017). However, limited research focuses on the way work-related stress can impact teachers’ well-being (Cheung et al., 2021). There are many factors that can negatively impact the health and well-being of a teacher within an educational setting. Ultimately, these factors could result in teachers leaving the profession early or developing health issues that could be detrimental to the individual. Overall, teachers have reported a higher level of job responsibilities than other professionals (Harmsen et al., 2018). These job responsibilities have been recognized by researchers as a significant problem in educational settings (Shen et al., 2015).

A teacher’s well-being can be characterized by a positive mindset toward teaching, achieving student outcomes, resilience, and flourishing (Hascher & Waber, 2021). This mindset is a result of constructive relationships with colleagues and students, confidence in one’s own abilities, and a sense of being to meet one’s professional and personal needs. It is crucial for teachers to take care of their physical, mental, and psychological health. This is especially true if they are going to contribute to students’ social, emotional, and psychological development. It is known that teachers who achieve success in their professional responsibilities have a higher level of occupational well-being than those who do not attain success (Kaynak, 2020).

The results of this study may provide educators and mental health professionals with information regarding work-related stressors. In addition, mental health professionals will be more prepared to provide support to educators, thus reducing burnout in the profession. The problem appears to be prevalent worldwide, as teachers report high levels of stress associated with their careers (Harmsen et al., 2018). In addition to bringing awareness to the issue of teacher burnout, it allows professionals to distinguish it from other mental health disorders, such as depression and anxiety (Cheung et al., 2021). Moreover, when teachers feel stressed and overwhelmed, students might sense their teacher’s level of emotional distress and begin to feel overwhelmed themselves. This could affect the teacher-student relationship, as well as student academic achievement outcomes. It is the primary purpose of teachers to establish positive relationships with their students. A failure to achieve this purpose relates to increased levels of stress and decreased well-being (Cui, 2022). Researchers have shown that beginning teachers are more likely to experience higher levels of stress than those who have been in the profession for some time (Farley & Chamberlain, 2021). Teachers who are aware of these stressors early in their careers may be able to minimize their risk of burnout and experience a sense of well-being.

The current study will examine whether teachers whose stress levels are high due to work-related stressors affect their well-being and self-efficacy. Additionally, it will explore whether teachers with a high level of self-efficacy perform better and have a positive perspective on their work when they feel competent to carry out work tasks effectively. Considering these points is essential as new teachers are known to quit their jobs within the first few years of joining this profession. In addition, it assists in creating some mental health programs for teachers to increase awareness of these issues. Moreover, this would help psychologists develop effective treatment plans for teachers who seek out mental health. For instance, providing teachers with effective coping strategies, mindfulness, learning how to regulate their emotions when in distress, setting personal goals, and using their well-being and reducing mental health symptoms that may include anxiety and depression (Seligman et al. 2005).

Literature Review

Well-being

According to Simons and Baldwin (2021), “well-being is a state of positive feelings and meeting full potential in the world” (p. 984). Well-being refers to good mental and physical health; the experience of positive emotional sensations such as satisfaction and happiness alongside the development of a person’s potential, positive relationships, a sense of purpose, and some control over one’s life (Cheung et al., 2021). Having a sense of well-being refers to a state of mind that allows individuals or a population to flourish and thrive in a sustainable way (Cheung et al., 2021). The foundation of prosperity must occur under sustainable conditions that enable individuals or populations to grow and prosper. Positive psychological health is often used to describe a state of subjective well-being (SWB), which is associated with a positive mental state (Ruggeri et al., 2020). Researchers have found that individuals who regularly experience happiness are more likely to succeed in their endeavors. For instance, happier individuals are likely to experience better interpersonal relationships, have better overall health, make more money, and have more creative ideas compared to those who experience less happiness (Lyubomirsky & Layous, 2013).

The positive activity model (Lyubomirsky & Layous, 2013) attempts to clarify why and how engaging in positive activities contributes to a happier, healthier, and a more satisfying life, all of which enhance people’s well-being. Dolan et al. (2008) conducted a study to explore factors that were associated with subjective well-being. These authors found that SWB plays a significant role in both physical and psychological health. According to the positive activity model, any activity feature (e.g., social support, culture, personality) can influence positive activity success. In general, individuals who are involved in positive activities tend to have higher levels of happiness. As a result, individuals are likely to experience positive emotions, thoughts, and actions. Therefore, an individual who is happy and has a positive attitude is likely developing an increased sense of well-being. Diener et al. (2003) state that a society that values not just the opinions of experts, but also the values of the entire community, must understand peoples’ feelings and thoughts about their own lives to effectively understand the concept of well-being.

A study by Danna and Griffin (1999) examined the effect an individual’s workplace could have on their health and well-being. They found that excessive physical and mental demands, placed on the human body and mind by work-related stress, could result in detrimental physical and emotional outcomes. Furthermore, the authors examined whether an individual’s health and well-being can affect the organization and the individual’s performance. Individuals who experience poor health at work tend to be less productive, unable to make decisions, and are more likely to miss work because of illness (Danna & Griffin, 1999).

Teacher Well-being

Over the past few years, teachers’ well-being has gained a great amount of attention. Well-being usually comprises cognitive and effective components, which encompasses environmental and personal factors (Dordevic et al., 2021). Generally, teachers who are in good health and who are meeting their work-related demands on a day-to-day basis are known to be in a positive state of physical and mental health (Cheung et al., 2021). Moreover, teachers who balance the challenges they face at work with the resources they have access to can improve their overall health. In order to attain a sense of well-being, it is essential to understand that enjoyment of one’s vocation is the primary contributor (Cheung et al., 2021).

Individuals who experience high levels of well-being means one has a good sense of self and a positive attitude toward others (Rogach et al., 2017). Teachers are expected to support students who exhibit negative behaviors, and this encompasses them to put their emotions aside and understand the function of the behaviors (Ross et al., 2012). Having to put their own feelings aside requires a great amount of effort and may take a toll on their emotional well-being (Morris & Feldman, 1996). Some teachers may not understand how to react to behaviors with the appropriate facial expressions and demeanor. If teachers do not see change in student behaviors after putting forth correct behavior interventions (e.g., demeanor and facial expressions), it could lead to feelings of incompetence as a teacher (Split et al., 2011).

Teachers who are aware of their emotions and effectively express themselves have a greater sense of well-being and are likely to seek out help to receive social support from their colleagues. Rodriguez et al. (2020) argued that preschool teachers are likely to be highly invested in their students’ social and emotional development, as well as physical care and nurturing, which often interferes with the teachers’ ability to focus on their own social and emotional development. The authors further explained that these types of impacts could negatively influence the teachers’ mental and physical well-being. As Braun et al. (2020) pointed out, expressive suppression is considered a response-focused strategy considering it takes place late in the regulatory process after the emotion has already been established. Braun et al. (2020) further explained that response-focused strategies are unhealthy and ineffective ways of regulating one’s emotions because it requires an intense cognitive effort to utilize. A higher level of emotional reactivity and negative emotions are reported by individuals who tend to suppress their emotions as compared to those who are self-aware (Braun et al., 2020).

Teachers are often interrupted by unwanted behaviors from their students (Zhao & You, 2019), which forces them to attend to the behaviors, distracting them from their ability to teach other students (Bakar & Zainal, 2020). However, when teachers develop a positive relationship and rapport with their students, they begin to experience positive emotions (Hargreaves, 2000). In addition, it increases their future efforts in performing more effectively in student learning and behavioral outcomes, and it increases their confidence in their ability to perform work duties effectively, thus, resulting in an increased sense of well-being. Unfortunately, when teachers do not receive recognition for their efforts in performing their responsibilities, it leads them to question their abilities. Psychological and physical well-being can be adversely affected by teachers’ sense of self-efficacy, which is the belief that they can effectively handle the challenges, tasks, and obligations associated with their profession (Ross et al., 2012; Barni, et al. 2019).

Available Resources for Teachers

A study by Zhao and You (2019) investigated the factors and mechanisms that influence the vocational well-being of secondary school teachers in the multicultural context of western China, focusing primarily on the relationship between psychological capital (PsyCap), emotional labor, and vocational well-being among teachers. PsyCap refers to a set of resources one can use to be more successful and improve performance. In addition, it provides insight into oneself and promotes growth. To achieve the ultimate state of well-being for an individual, PsyCap is known to reduce stress levels and increase performance (e.g., self-efficacy) and resilience. According to Dicke et al. (2018) PsyCap is shown to reduce depressive symptoms and improves well-being by enhancing daily life as well as work performance. Based on these findings, PsyCap appears to enhance mood and energy levels, resulting in improved well-being.

It is essential that teachers maintain a good sense of well-being on a physical and psychological level so they can perform their duties effectively. Kaynak (2020) explored the way elementary school teachers perceive their sense of well-being and the extent to which negative factors impact their well-being. The study concluded that teachers’ feelings of well-being were primarily influenced by the growth of their students and the support of those with whom they worked. Further, the study found that assessment performance, incompetence, criticism, inappropriate student behavior, and excessive workload were factors that negatively affected the well-being of teachers. Tang et al. (2018) indicated that teachers with a positive sense of well-being are more likely to be motivated, self-effective, and committed to helping students learn.

Self-Efficacy

Self-efficacy can be described as a person’s belief in their ability to accomplish specific tasks (Carey & Forsyth, 2009). It reflects an individual’s capability of exerting control over their behavior, motivation, and social surroundings. This attribute is vital when addressing the professional realm as it enables individuals to make difficult decisions when called upon. This phenomenon affects one’s ability to attain a particular goal and determines how much energy one will invest in achieving this specific objective (Carey & Forsyth, 2009).

Self-Efficacy Theory

The self-efficacy theory comprises therapeutic change, which is accomplished through mastery experiences stemming from successful performances. Self-efficacy is defined as “people’s beliefs about their capabilities to produce designated levels of performance that exercise influence over events that affect their lives. Self-efficacy beliefs determine how people feel, think, motivate themselves and behave” (Bandura, 1994, p. 71). Phobic behavior is more likely to result from self-efficacy deficiencies rather than outcome expectations. His argument is that an individual’s self-efficacy can improve if they use psychological procedures that heighten the strength and level of self-efficacy. The theory further posits that self-efficacy achieved through the success of performances is based on several situational and personal factors, i.e., the pattern of their failures and success, the amount of effort people exert in their tasks, and the difficulty of the task. The self-efficacy theory is centered around information processing. The model suggests individuals process, weigh, and incorporate information regarding their abilities and use this information to regulate their effort and behavior appropriately (Bandura, 1994).

Teacher Self-efficacy

In order for teachers to reach high levels of self-efficacy, it requires a teacher to self-assess their ability to influence the outcomes of their students, particularly those students who seem unenthusiastic or challenging to educate (Ross et al., 2012). When teachers have a high sense of self-efficacy, they are known to perform more effectively in their job, have higher levels of job satisfaction, fewer difficulties dealing with student misconduct, and lower stress levels. In such instances, teachers are likely to take on more difficult goals to challenge their abilities. Additionally, they are likely to collaborate with others (e.g., staff members and parents), which leads to better student learning outcomes (Guskey & Passaro, 1994). When teachers have low levels of self-efficacy, they begin to believe they are not well-suited for their job and therefore start investing little effort in the classroom (Bandura, 1977). Self-efficacy among teachers is vital because it influences the academic achievement of students, effectiveness among teachers, and instructional practices. It also significantly impacts the well-being of teachers and overall school performance for students (Barni et al., 2019).

Stress Among Teachers

Choosing to pursue a teaching career offers a number of benefits, including having job security, having the opportunity to impact the life of a child, gaining leadership skills, and obtaining excellent benefit plans. A plethora of teachers have acknowledged teaching as a highly satisfying profession (Malla, 2020). Unfortunately, alongside these benefits are some disadvantages of pursuing this career. For instance, teachers may have to work long hours or under difficult conditions (i.e., disciplinary issues, extra-curricular activities, etc.) (Danna & Griffin, 1999; Ross et al., 2012). Further, teaching can be mentally challenging, resulting in fatigue, difficulty concentrating and changes in appetite, which can lead to great levels of stress and contribute to feelings of anxiety and depression (Tapp, 2021).

Unprecedented numbers of K-12 educators are leaving the classroom because of the stress they face. The teacher shortage had reached crisis proportions even before the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, 80% of California districts have experienced shortages, and these shortages have only worsened (Lillis & Stanton, 2022). Over three out of four educators have filed a report claiming their job to be stressful (Heckman, 2019). Teachers have reported various stressors in their profession, including managing misbehaviors carried out by their students, not receiving the proper support from the administration, and a lack of autonomy. Moreover, teachers are subject to high-performance demands and role ambiguity (Ross et al., 2012). In the beginning stage of their teaching career, teachers are likely to experience high levels of pressure as they embark on this journey (Johnson et al., 2005). When a teacher is unfamiliar with a task or a particular program, it may cause them anxiety and bring forth negative emotions about themselves due to not meeting their job responsibilities effectively (Smetackova et al., 2019).

Teachers at the start of their careers experience higher levels of stress than teachers with decades of experience, who are likely to be more adept at managing stress. Being recognized for their work can relieve stress for teachers, which encourages them to perform their tasks more effectively (Sadeghi & Sa’adatpourvahid, 2016). Educators who experience long-term stress within their profession are likely to develop chronic exhaustion that results in teacher burnout syndrome (Smetackova et al., 2019).

The Effects of Teacher Burnout

A survey conducted in 2019, revealed 43% of respondents were experiencing burnout, showing an increase in the number of individuals exhibiting signs (American Medical Association, 2019). In January 2022, the American Teacher Panel (ATP) surveyed 2,360 teachers, finding that 59% of teachers experienced burnout, as opposed to 44% of working adults (Will, 2022). Burnout is a form of emotional or physical exhaustion that can result in a person feeling poorly accomplished or as if they are losing their identity (World Health Organization, 2019), and can be experienced due to incessant exposure to stress factors in certain professions. This is particularly a problem in the field of education. The term burnout has been described as repeated exposure to job-related stressors (Ross et al., 2012) and can be characterized using three principal dimensions: encountering dissociation with a job, constant feelings of exhaustion, and loss of confidence associated with professional abilities. These signs may include, but are not limited to, reduced output/performance, physical symptoms such as headaches, cynicism toward assigned tasks, and emotional fatigue (Scott, 2006). Burnout has also been associated with mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. An individual experiencing burnout likely has difficulty controlling their emotions, (i.e., sadness, guilt, or anger). As a result, they are susceptible to aggressive outbursts, panic attacks, and drug abuse (Fraga, 2019).

According to the American Medical Association (2019), burnout syndrome is included as a classified disease in the International Classification of Disease 11^th revision (ICD-11). These individuals experience chronic stress in the workplace that they often have difficulty managing. Additionally, the ICD-11 requires an individual to meet three characteristics of the criteria to qualify for burnout syndrome: low levels of energy, negative outlook on all job responsibilities, and decreased efficacy. Researchers have found that teacher burnout has a significant effect on productivity (Kelly, 2021), mental health, learning outcomes, and school community (Inc, 2018). These factors will be discussed in the section below.

Productivity

According to Kelly (2021), burnout could result in poor productivity in service sector, which affects the well-being of the entire population. Unfortunately, teachers who experience burnout tend to have a negative perception of their job, experience negative emotions, and are not satisfied with their job. Additionally, they are forced to attend to other stressful tasks (e.g., staff meetings, extracurricular activities, etc.) preventing them from performing their job responsibilities (Chang, 2009). Teachers have been known to report negative experiences, including stress within the profession, which is known to have an impact on their work dedication and satisfaction (Sadeghi & Sa’adatpourvahid, 2016).

Mental Health

Teachers who experience burnout have a lower ability to manage teaching stressors, i.e., managing classrooms, dealing with student misbehavior, etc. In addition, burnout can also lead teachers to develop anxiety and depression, which lowers their quality of life. These individuals suffer from constant daytime fatigue due to job-related stress and emotional exhaustion, which in turn may result in adverse mood swings (Inc, 2018).

Learning Outcomes

Significant levels of burnout often result in teachers reducing their involvement in their students’ lives, which has a significant effect on the student’s learning outcomes. Low academic performance, lack of motivation, and continuous disciplinary issues among students are examples of some of the effects of teacher burnout (Inc, 2018). However, teachers who experienced positive student-teacher relationships reported pleasure and a decrease in stress or anger. Thus, showing improvement in student learning outcomes (Cui, 2022).

School Community

The school community is normally affected when a teacher begins to experience burnout. Some of the effects encountered by the school community due to teacher burnout include reduction of social engagement with their community, poor curriculum planning, lack of collaboration among school employees, lack of execution of new school programs, and poor school performance (Inc, 2018). Teachers experiencing burnout will suffer from an overwhelming feeling of powerlessness that will result in them practicing isolation.

Overall Support Available to Teachers

Teachers should be involved in ongoing, holistic programs that promote mental health (Sisask et al., 2013). Addressing mental health support in an educational setting is important for educators in order to thrive in their work environment (Will & Superville, 2022). Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is important to help educators build SEL competencies, because it helps in reducing emotional exhaustion, burnout, improves self-efficacy, and increases job satisfaction. Whalen (2021) discusses it is essential to take care of educators’ well-being because this would not only benefit teachers, but the whole school system. Professional development in SEL has shown in multiple research studies to improve the well-being of teachers and reducing stress (Whalen, 2021).

In these workshops, teachers can learn how to improve their personal well-being, engage in self-care, develop self-regulation skills, and learn coping strategies (Vesely et al., 2013). Gaining these effective skills and knowledge can further assist in educators developing a sense of satisfaction in the work they perform, which then leads to feelings of effectiveness and competence. Thus, resulting in educators becoming more resilient, which improves their well-being (Bobek, 2002).

Positive Behavior Intervention Support

In the late 1990s, Rob Horner and George Sugai developed the effective behavior support (EBS) program, later called Positive Behavior Intervention Supports (PBIS). By focusing on the use of data for informing decisions about the development, implementation, and evaluation of behaviors in evidence-based practices, PBIS aims to improve academic and social behavior outcomes for all students (Sugai & Simonsen, 2012).

PBIS has been implemented in schools in the United States for the past 30 years, and is a behavior support system plan intended to provide students and educators with a holistic behavior support plan (Grasley et al., 2021). Houchens et al. (2017) reported the implementation of PBIS was inspired by the application of behavioral analysis, a discipline that recognizes the value of teaching positive student behavior rather than punitive strategies. PBIS is a positive behavior management program that allows teachers to develop positive relationships with their students. Students are taught expected behaviors and are rewarded when these behaviors are exhibited. If teachers and staff implement PBIS effectively, it will decrease undesired behaviors in students, which in turn will decrease stressors for teachers in the classroom (Ross et al., 2012). Numerous studies have focused on the student benefits of PBIS; however, limited studies have focused on the effects of PBIS on teachers’ well-being.

Components of PBIS

This program has three tiers of support, including universal school-wide, targeted, and intensive individualized support. Tier 1 aims to prevent problematic behavior among all students within the school. Typically, approximately 80% of students will respond to Tier 1. Students who display desired behaviors are rewarded with an incentive. Tier 2 is provided to students who do not respond to Tier 1 interventions. Approximately 15-20% of students will benefit from Tier 2 interventions. The students in Tier 2 are provided with more individualized behavior and academic support (e.g., social skills group, after-school programs, school counseling, and a check-in check-out support system). Unfortunately, an average of 5% of students will not respond to Tier 1 or Tier 2 (Ross et., 2012). These students will move into Tier 3 because Tier 1 and Tier 2 supports have not been met, which means their needs are more individualized and intense. Furthermore, Tier 1 and Tier 2 supports will continue to be implemented in Tier 3. Tier 3 is a strategy that works best with students with developmental disabilities, emotional and behavioral problems, and students who are not responding to Tier 1 or Tier 2 systems of support. Tier 3 aims to determine the cause of the behavior and develops a behavior plan to support student behavior needs. The Functional Behavioral Assessment plan (FBA) utilized in Tier 3 is designed to target and manage extreme behaviors (Keller-Bell & Short, 2019).

School-Wide Positive Intervention Supports

According to Mcintosh et al. (2010), School-Wide Positive Intervention Supports (SW-PBIS) can be useful in strengthening or adding support in positive interactions between the students, teachers, and educational setting staff (e.g., administration, librarians, cafeteria staff, etc.). Additionally, it assists in reducing disruptive behaviors, and most importantly, it is known to decrease the stress that teachers may experience. When stress is reduced, it results in teachers having an increased sense of empowerment of how they perform their job. With SW-PBIS, teachers can learn how to teach appropriate behaviors and this, in turn, allows the teacher to gain a sense of control and empowerment over themselves and their students. As such, SW-PBIS is reinforcing not only for the students but for the teachers as well (Ross et al., 2012).

Among the many benefits of being a teacher is the opportunity to positively influence children’s lives. However, this is also accompanied by challenges which add to their stress levels. Experiencing high levels of stress, along with a decline in self-efficacy and well-being, can contribute to burnout, which can lead to depression or anxiety-based symptoms (Tapp, 2021). Having good mental and physical health is essential for a person’s well-being, and experiencing positive emotions such as happiness, fulfillment, and a sense of purpose in life. The well-being of teachers is primarily determined by their physical health and their ability to meet their daily work requirements. Additionally, teachers who manage their work challenges and resources effectively can increase their productivity and well-being. Being able to maintain a sense of well-being is contingent upon the ability to enjoy one’s career.

Furthermore, it is likely that teachers who have an increase in self efficacy will perform effectively in their job responsibilities and will likely be more satisfied in their work environment. Having access to effective resources such as PBIS can be beneficial in providing teachers with empowerment in the way they are performing in their job. PBIS enables teachers to experience less emotional exhaustion, feel more connected to their students, experience a greater sense of accomplishment in their work, and overall greater confidence in their abilities as educators (Ross et al. 2012). Additionally, teachers can use this program to gain more structure in their classrooms. Thus, teachers are likely to minimize depressive and anxiety-based symptoms with supports such as PBIS. Furthermore, teachers will likely experience higher levels of well-being and lower stress levels.

The Importance of the Current Study

Teachers have a significant impact on the overall society’s future and progress. Therefore, addressing the issue of teachers’ well-being now is likely to have positive influence in teachers’ productivity and the quality of education in the future. Furthermore, the teaching profession requires substantial efforts to overcome the challenge of working with many students simultaneously while still being able to focus attention on individual students’ progress. Raising awareness on the topic of teachers’ well-being and informing workers in the education system on the issue can result in additional support for teachers, such as school administrators and clinical psychologists.

Next, the nature of the profession and occupational stressors such as the need to establish a connection with students with behavioral concerns makes teachers subjected to the risks of poorly managed life-work balance. Furthermore, according to Harmsen et al. (2018), teachers have more responsibilities than any other professional. Improving teachers’ knowledge about the importance of mental health for their productivity and students’ academic achievements can result in substantial changes in the education system. In particular, informing teachers about different coping strategies and the possibility of having meaningful collaborations with co-workers can improve the level of teachers’ job satisfaction and help them maintain a positive approach to fulfilling their duties.

Furthermore, work-related stress and burnout in teachers can potentially result in the development of depression and/or anxiety, which will significantly affect their personal life. Drawing attention to the importance of healthy well-being in the teachers’ profession can help prevent potential cases of burnout, depression, and/or anxiety among teachers in the future. Moreover, raising clinical psychologists’ awareness of the issue and improving the knowledge about possible treatment interventions and necessary coping skills will help address the existing cases of depression and/or anxiety among teachers. Thus, exploring the questions from the study is important for society, students, teachers and other education system workers, and clinical psychologists.

Research Questions and Hypotheses

This study will examine the following research questions:

1. How does a teacher’s level of self-efficacy affect their level of well-being?
2. Does the level of stress experienced by teachers increase or decrease because of their performance in their job responsibilities?

It is hypothesized that:

1. teachers who report higher levels of stress experience higher levels of burnout,
2. teachers who report high levels of burnout will report lower levels of well-being,
3. teachers who report higher levels of well-being will report higher levels of productivity compared to those who report low levels of well-being,
4. teachers who use PBIS are likely to experience an increased level of self-efficacy.

Methods

Procedure

Participants will be recruited from Porterville Unified School District (PUSD), which includes ten elementary schools. The elementary schools within PUSD include: Belleview Elementary School, John J. Doyle Elementary School, Los Robles Elementary, Monta Vista Elementary School, Olive Street Elementary School, Roche Avenue Elementary School, Santa Fe Elementary School, Vandalia Elementary School, West Putnam Elementary School, and Westfield Elementary School. The primary investigator will recruit participants by emailing the principals of the schools for permission to share an email that will contain a brief overview of the purpose of the current study and a direct link to Qualtrics Survey. Then the principle will be asked by the primary investigators via email to share this email and direct link with their teaching staff to gain potential participants. The direct link to Qualtrics Survey will be accessible to those teachers who choose to participate in the current study. The Qualtrics Survey will be completed online anonymously, and it will contain an informed consent, demographic questionnaire, and surveys. Once the participants have submitted their responses, the primary investigator will be notified via email by Qualtrics Survey. The assistant superintendent from PUSD has provided the primary investigator permission (e.g., signing a permission letter) to recruit elementary teachers who work in the schools in this district.

Participants

Inclusion criteria requires that participants be elementary school teachers, specifically, general education and special education elementary school teachers. Additionally, the participants will have had earned a clear credential, which means the participant has met all education and program requirements. Participants will be recruited from each of these elementary schools within PUSD.

Measures

As part of this study, the primary investigator will use The Ohio State Teachers Sense of Efficacy Scale to measure the difficulties faced by teachers in the classroom, the Perceived Stress Scale to measure the participants’ level of stress, the World Health Organization-Five Well-being Index to measure well-being, and the Teacher Burnout Scale to assess level of burnout.

The Ohio State Teachers Sense of Efficacy Scale

In order to assess problems teachers, face in the classroom, participants will be asked to complete The Ohio State Teachers’ Sense of Efficacy Scale, short form (OSTES; Tschannen-Moan & Hoy, 2001). This questionnaire consists of 12-items that uses a 9-point Likert rating scale (1 = Nothing to 9 = A Great Deal). OSTES scores are calculated by summing all unweighted responses, resulting in scores ranging from 1 to 9. Typically, three separate scores are calculated, each representing one of the scale’s three domains (e.g., engagement, instruction, and management). Instead of individual domain scores, a composite score is often generated. The OSTES was given to a sample of 410 participants which included 103 preservice teachers (84 female, 15 male), 255 in-service teachers (170 female, 84 male), and 38 participants who failed to indicate their teaching experience (Tschannen-Moan & Hoy, 2001). The reported alpha level of the original 24-item scale was.94, and the reliability of the 12-item scale was.90, suggesting excellent reliability. Accordingly, both the subscale scores and the total score for both forms can be utilized to assess efficacy. In comparison to other questionnaires that measure teacher efficacy, Tschannen-Moan and Hoy (2001) suggest that the OSTES – short form measures a broader range of teaching tasks.

Perceived Stress Scale

A psychological instrument commonly used for measuring stress perception is the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS; Cohen et al., 1983). PSS was designed to be used with community samples with a minimum level of education. Questions included in this scale are simple to understand and general in nature, thus avoiding content that was designed for a specific subpopulation (PSS; Cohen et al., 1983). The PSS consists of 10-items and measures the amount of stress one has experienced during the last month. Each of these ten items use a 5-point Likert rating scale (0 = Never to 4 = Very Often). PSS scores are obtained by reversing responses (e.g., 0=4, 1=3, 2=2, 3=1, & 4=0) to the four positively stated items (items 4, 5, 7, & 8) and then summing across all scale items. Participants will be asked to complete the PSS to determine how unexpected, difficult, and overwhelming situations affects their stress level. The scale includes a number of questions that directly address the level of stress currently experienced. The PSS specifically inquiries about one’s emotions and thoughts during the past month. The sample of participants consisted of 476 college students, and the authors determined that a coefficient alpha level of 0.86 was determined for the PSS, indicating good reliability (Cohen et al., 1983).

The World Health Organization-Five Well-being Index

In order to assess general well-being, The World Health Organization-Five Well-being Index (WHO-5; Winther Topp et al., 2015) will be utilized. This is a short self-reported questionnaire based on a 5-point Likert scale (0 = At no time to 5 = all of the time). Raw scores of 0 to 25 are multiplied by 4 to give the final score, with 0 representing the worst possible well-being and 100 representing the best possible well-being. There are 30 different languages available for this questionnaire, which is intended for people who are at least 9 years of age (Winther Topp et al., 2015). There is sufficient evidence of validity in the WHO-5 in screening for depression and in assessing outcomes in clinical trials. In this questionnaire, working conditions of employed and self-employed individuals were assessed and analyzed. A good coefficient alpha reliability of 0.86 has been determined for the WHO-5.

The Teacher Burnout Scale

To assess for burnout among public school teachers, The Teacher Burnout Scale (The Teacher Burnout Scale; Seidman & Zager, 1987) will be utilized. This scale consists of a 21-item Likert scale (1 = Strongly disagree to 6 = Strongly Agree). The 21-item scale was administered to a sample of 490 full-time teachers in a public school to confirm and determine the reliability coefficients of the subscales. The alpha coefficients for the subscales were 0.89 for career satisfaction, 0.84 for perceived administrative support, 0.80 for coping with job related stress; and 0.72 for attitudes towards students. As a result of this coefficient alpha reliability the Teacher Burnout Scale has been determined to have a good internal consistency.

The measures being used to assess self-efficacy, stress, well-being, and burnout are considered adequate and reliable by the developers. The additional advantage is that these measures are not specific to any given population, making them easier to use in the context of the targeted population for this study. These measures are available to researchers at no cost, and do not require permission for their use, as long as they are appropriately referenced and cited.

Data Analysis

The aim of the current study is to determine how stress levels and self-efficacy are impacted by teachers whose stress levels are high due to work-related stressors (e.g., assessment periods, pressure of extracurricular activities, the unexpected, and utilizing PBIS). This study will examine the following questions by utilizing the correlational research design, thus seeking to understand the relationship between self-efficacy, burnout, well-being, and stress. An a priori analysis using a statistical program, G*power 3.1, was used to predict the sample size of this study. A medium effect size of.30, an alpha level of.05, and a power level of.95 estimates a sample of 138 participants. In addition, a sample of 84 participants is estimated to be needed to achieve a power level.80. A p-value of.05 will be used for this study to have significant findings. Researcher will recruit 150 participants to account for errors in data collection.

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