Decreasing work stress in teachers [Werkstress verminderen bij docenten]
doctoral thesis
Good education advances our knowledge-based society. Good education will become excellent education if the general level of teaching is improved. And the level of teaching will more easily improve if the school organization is functioning well. However, this improvement in the level of teaching is challenged by the high level of work stress among teachers. Throughout the Western and Eastern developed world, the educational sector is (one of the) front runner(s) in the experience of work stress. European estimates of the stress levels of teachers more than doubled those found in other occupations. Work stress is likely to result in several mental and physical health problems, negative organizational outcomes, and societal costs. These substantial consequences are especially alarming in the light of an already shrinking orkforce. Researchers have posed that some of these consequences might be prevented if adequate measures are taken. However, the evidence on the most effective ways to decrease work stress in teachers is inconclusive. To advance our understanding of decreasing work stress, more knowledge on the individual and organizational determinants of work stress for specific occupational groups is needed. Furthermore, methodological issues need to be addressed when implementing interventions, such as determining causality. The objective of this thesis was to explore ways to decrease work stress in teachers, and thereby eventually contribute to excellent education (chapter 1). The exploration was conducted along three key questions: (1) How can we decrease work stress in teachers from an individual perspective? (2) How can we decrease work stress in teachers from an organizational perspective? (3) How can we gather the most relevant evidence in intervention studies in the occupational setting, for example to decrease work tress?
Topics
TNO Identifier
781400
ISBN
978-94-028-0737-0
Publisher
VU
Collation
143 p.
Place of publication
Amsterdam