Psychosocial Risks and Violence Against Teachers. Is It Possible to Promote Well-Being at Work?

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health Psychology
• Educational Psychology
• Sociology of Education

Background:

• Teaching is a high-stress profession with significant psychological demands.
• Positive teacher-student and teacher-parent relationships are crucial for teacher well-being.
• Violence against teachers by students or parents is a major occupational health concern.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the influence of the Job Demands-Control-Support Model on violence experienced by teachers.
• To identify specific working conditions associated with increased or decreased teacher victimization.
• To provide evidence-based recommendations for improving the occupational health of teachers.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional online, self-report questionnaire was administered to 686 teachers.
• Participants were recruited from elementary and high schools in north-east Italy.
• The study utilized the Job Demands-Control-Support Model as a theoretical framework.

Main Results:

• Increased job demands were significantly associated with higher rates of most types of offenses against teachers.
• Greater availability of social support within the school environment was linked to lower rates of teacher harassment.
• Specific aspects of the work environment play a role in teachers' experiences of violence.

Conclusions:

• Working conditions, particularly job demands and social support, are critical factors in teachers' exposure to violence.
• Strategies to manage workload and integrate violence monitoring into daily school practices are recommended.
• Fostering a socially supportive work environment is essential for enhancing teacher well-being and safety.