Authors: Bauer, Joachim; Unterbrink, Thomas; Hack, Anna; Pfeifer, Ruth; Buhl-Grießhaber, Veronika; Müller, Udo; Wesche, Helmut; Frommhold, Markus; Seibt, Reingard; Scheuch, Klaus; Wirsching, Michael

Source: International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health, Volume 80, Number 5, April 2007 , pp. 442-449(8)

Publisher: Springer

Abstract:

The aim of this study was (1) to explore in detail the working load of teachers, (2) to analyse the extent of negative or threatening school-related events teachers are confronted with, and (3) to evaluate mental health strain by applying the general health questionnaire (GHQ).

A sample of 949 teachers in 10 grammar schools (German: Gymnasien) and 79 secondary modern schools (German: Hauptschulen) was investigated applying (1) a questionnaire covering different aspects of the occupational burden and threatening school-associated events and (2) the general health questionnaire (GHQ-12).

Based on what teachers indicated in the questionnaire, full-time teachers work more than 51 h weekly. More than 42% of our sample indicated verbal insults, almost 7% deliberate damage of personal belongings, and 4.4% threat of violence by pupils during the past 12 months. When applying the GHQ-12, we found that 29.8% of the sample report significant mental health problems. With respect to school types, teachers in secondary modern schools indicated more of such problems, while no effects regarding age, gender, or full/part-time teaching were observed.

To be a teacher is a hard work and requires coping of considerable amount of adverse events. Based on the GHQ, nearly 30% of teachers suffer from significant mental health problems.

Keywords: Teacher; Burn out; Health conditions; Occupational burden; Violence

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00420-007-0170-7

Affiliations: 1: Email: joachim.bauer@uniklinik-freiburg.de

Publication date: 2007-04-01

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