An exploration of teachers' wellbeing

Abstract

Research suggests that teachers are amongst the most vulnerable occupational groups to work related psychological difficulties. Extant literature predominantly focuses on the structural dimensions of teachers’ wellbeing and is commonly associated with stress, burnout and staff retention. The first chapter critically reviews existing research using cognitive-behavioural therapy to support teachers’ wellbeing. Three conclusions were drawn from the systematic review: teacher wellbeing is a problematically defined concept; interventions based on cognitive-behavioural therapy were not effective in supporting teachers’ wellbeing and little emphasis was placed upon the impact of teachers’ environment. The conclusions of the systematic review informed three research questions addressed in the empirical paper using a qualitative methodology, in order to explore teachers’ experience of the phenomena under investigation. Subsequently, the transcripts of five semi-structured interviews with five primary school teachers were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis to explore their wellbeing. Two superordinate themes were produced that encapsulate the teachers’ described experience related to their wellbeing. Due to the research design, this research offers novel findings about the nature of teachers’ wellbeing. It also offers a phenomenological model of teachers’ wellbeing and proposes that organisational and systemic change is required to support the social and emotional needs of school communities and their workforce.