The wellbeing of New Zealand teachers : the relationship between health, stress, job demands and teacher efficacy : a thesis presented for the partial fulfilment for the requirements of Master of Educational Psychology at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand
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Date
2011
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Massey University
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Abstract
Teacher stress is a phenomenon that has attracted a vast amount of attention over the last
forty years. Historically, national and international research has demonstrated role overload
and teacher efficacy have long been associated with teacher stress. More recent international
research indicates increased role responsibility might also be a contributing factor. The last
published New Zealand study on teacher stress was in 1996, which prompted further
investigation of the factors associated with stress and extended previous research by
examining the physical and mental health status of New Zealand teachers. The present study
examined the relationship between physical health, mental health, stress, role overload, role
responsibility, and teacher efficacy. It also examined the factors that influence stress and
mental health levels. Finally, the present study investigated the prevalence of stress to
determine if it has changed since the last published study. Participants were 131 teachers
randomly recruited across New Zealand high schools who completed a battery of online selfreport
questionnaires that measured health, stress, role overload, role responsibility and
teacher efficacy. Analysis revealed the physical and mental health of teachers was no worse
than that of the general population. The results of a path analysis demonstrated role
responsibility and role overload directly influenced stress and mental health levels negatively.
Physical health had a direct and positive influence over stress and mental health levels and
teacher efficacy was found to have no influence over stress and mental health levels. Over
39% of teachers considered teaching to be either very stressful or extremely stressful. This is
an increase of 13.6% from the last published study. The findings and limitations are discussed
along with the implications for teachers and policy makers.
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Keywords
High school teachers, Teacher effectiveness, New Zealand, Job stress, Workload, Secondary school teachers, Health