Predictors of perceived teachers’ and school counsellors’ work stress in the transition period of online education in schools during the COVID-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT

The present study aimed to investigate the predictors of work stress in elementary and upper-secondary school teachers and school counsellors in the initial period of online education in schools during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 964 school professionals (90.7% teachers; 9.3% school counsellors) participated in the study. The results indicated that school professionals who reported higher ICT self-efficacy, had more positive attitudes towards distance education and perceived higher level of supervisor support experienced less stress. In addition, the participants that reported taking care of their own preschool or younger school children during the schools’ closure reported higher levels of stress.

KEYWORDS:

• Distance learning
• COVID-19
• ICT
• teachers
• stress

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Katja Košir

Katja Košir, PhD in psychology, works as a lecturer at the Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts at the University of Maribor. Her research interests are mainly focused on the non-cognitive factors of academic performance, especially social relations, i.e. peer relations and student-teacher relations and their role in students’ academic performance as well as their assessment.

Špela Dugonik

Špela Dugonik is psychology students at the Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts at the University of Maribor.

Adelisa Huskić

Adelisa Huskić is psychology students at the Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts at the University of Maribor.

Jure Gračner

Jure Gračner is psychology students at the Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts at the University of Maribor.

Zala Kokol

Zala Kokol is psychology students at the Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts at the University of Maribor.

Živa Krajnc

Živa Krajnc is psychology students at the Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts at the University of Maribor.