The prevalence of stress in public school teachers

Abstract

Introduction: Stress results from environmental pressures that require effort to return to original performance. It is important to assess the quality of life of teachers in order to enable them to manage stress. Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore the prevalence and intensity of stress in teachers, to relate these data to socioeconomic and work profiles, and its prevalence with anxiety and depression. Methodology: This is a cross-sectional study with a quantitative approach carried out in a public school in Ponta Grossa (Paraná). Seventeen teachers who answered the DASS-21 questionnaire, which analyzes negative affects, were included. Responses range from 0 to 3 (“did not apply” to “applied very much”) and the total from 0 to 42 (0-10=normal; 11-18=mild; 19-26=moderate; 27-34=severe; 35-42=extremely severe). Stress data were related to the socioeconomic and work profile and to the prevalence of anxiety and depression. Results: 29.4% of the participants had normal stress symptoms and 29.4% had severe symptoms. In total, 70.6% had some degree of stress beyond the ordinary. Eight (47.1%) found it difficult to calm down to some degree. All felt agitated for some period of time and 5 (29.4%) most of the time. Nine (52.9%) were intolerant to what prevented them from continuing what they were doing for most of the time. The average showed moderate stress (M=22; SD=11.28) and there was a positive, strong and significant correlation between stress and anxiety (r=0.87; p<0.001) and stress and depression (r=0.81; p<0.001). Discussion: Stress rates in other studies with teachers ranged from 42.86 to 76.9%. In the present study, 70.6% demonstrated stress beyond the ordinary, which is in line with other studies. The implementation of Mindfulness may be a solution to help teachers' well-being and motivation. Conclusion: There was a prevalence of stress symptoms among teachers at this school, in addition to a strong correlation between stress and anxiety and between stress and depression. However, these rates should be replicated with caution in the general population, despite their representativeness at this school.