Stress Prevention Training for Teachers
conference paper
International research has shown that stress is greater for teachers than for many other professional groups. Prolonged occupational stress can lead to physical and mental ill-health and may lead to impaired job performance. In addition, it may lead to stress related disability and early retirement from the profession. In Ireland, there has been a long-standing interest in the area of stress in the teaching profession by the trade unions, which represent teachers. As long ago as 1992, the three major primary and secondary level teachers unions commissioned a national survey of stress amongst teachers. The aim of the survey was to bring to the attention of employers the extent of the problems associated with occupational stress. In addition, they sought to use this information to lobby for changes in the profession. Among the changes sought by the unions were an early retirement scheme for teachers, improved working conditions, and the development and implementation of a stress prevention scheme for schools. This paper briefly describes the nature of stress in teaching in Ireland but mainly focuses on the development and dissemination process in relation to the last of these objectives, i.e. the development of a stress prevention manual and associated training courses. The aim of this manual (described further below) is to provide teachers and schools with the means to assess stress in their workplace and to develop preventive solutions to the causes of stress.
Topics
TNO Identifier
745489
Publisher
European Academy of Occupational Health Psychology (EAOHP)
Source title
Proceedings of the 2th annual conference of the European academy of occupational health psychology (EAOHP) 2000
Pages
163-166
Files
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