On the Relationship Between Teacher Stress, Student Age, and Social-Emotional Competence

Abstract

Stress in teaching leads to many teachers suffering from burnout or leaving the profession. Therefore, it is important to identify specific correlates of teacher stress. The role of student age and social-emotional competence in teacher stress emergence is still unclear To further clarify this relationship, 284 teachers were surveyed using a questionnaire that measured teacher stress, student year grade, and student social-emotional competence. Results show a strong negative relationship between grade level and teacher stress and a positive relationship between variance in students’ social-emotional competence and teacher stress. Social-emotional competence did not mediate between student year grades and teacher stress. Directions for further research and practical implications for teacher education are discussed.