Emotion-regulation ability, role stress and teachers' mental health

Abstract

Background: Work-related stressors, including role ambiguity and role conflict, are related to psychological maladjustment and mental ill-health. However, to date, the role of personal resources such as emotion-regulation ability (ERA) in the prediction of mental health indicators has not been addressed.Aims: To examine whether ERA would contribute to explaining teachers' depression, anxiety and stress symptoms beyond role ambiguity and role conflict.Methods: We carried out a cross-sectional questionnaire survey. We used a correlation matrix and hierarchical regression models to analyse the data.Results: Three hundred and thirty-six Spanish teachers (185 female) from several grade levels completed the surveys (40% response rate). Role ambiguity and role conflict were positively related to depression, anxiety and stress symptoms. ERA was negatively related to teachers' scores on depressive, anxious and stress symptoms, with predictive power above the main effects of role ambiguity and role conflict. An interaction between role ambiguity and ERA was also significant in predicting depression.Conclusions: Our study provides preliminary evidence suggesting the development of integrative models considering work-related stressors along with personal resources such as ERA aiming to prevent teachers' mental ill-health. Future studies should examine the influence of ERA on psychological symptoms using longitudinal designs.