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Occupational Stress in Special Education: A Challenge for School Health Professionals
Author(s) -
Falck Vilma T.,
Kilcoyne Martha E.
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
journal of school health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.851
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 1746-1561
pISSN - 0022-4391
DOI - 10.1111/j.1746-1561.1985.tb04137.x
Subject(s) - social support , psychology , promotion (chess) , mental health , occupational stress , health promotion , occupational safety and health , work (physics) , position (finance) , nursing , public health , medicine , medical education , clinical psychology , social psychology , psychiatry , mechanical engineering , pathology , politics , political science , law , engineering , finance , economics
Results of this study support the hypothesis that the majority of special educators, their support personnel, and general education administrators do not experience more job dissatisfaction than comparable occupational groups. However, they do report lower levels of subjective well‐being when compared with normal populations. Furthermore, 18% of the educators in the study perceived themselves as failing to cope with their job, experienced more frequent symptoms of poor physical health, and reported significantly poorer subjective well‐being. Health promotion programs for public school personnel should initiate prevention‐oriented health education programs for all employees. For those identified as more vulnerable to stress‐related mental and physical health problems, therapeutic approaches may be necessary. However, self‐help and mutual support groups may offer both groups a social support system to help meet human needs in addition to offering the potential for reducing perceived occupational stress. School health personnel may be in the best position to influence policies, procedures, and practices in schools that would support the work‐related needs of all employees.