'Classroom life has a uniquely stressful nature,' said Stan Gilmore, of the

Institute of Counselling. 'Teachers can never drop their guard and are required
to exercise a level of unremitting control over upwards of 30 pupils.---
https://www.theguardian.com/education/2008/aug/31/teaching.teacherswor
kload

(*Source: Canadian Mental Health Association)

What is Depression?
It’s normal to feel “blue” or down in the dumps every now and then. Misfortune or personal
problems can leave us all struggling with feelings of loss, sadness, frustration, or
disappointment. But when these emotions persist for more than a few weeks and intensify
as time goes by, it may be a sign of depression.

Depression is a serious medical illness that can interfere with your ability to carry out the
normal functions of everyday life. It can change the way you think and behave, and
undermine your sense of personal well-being.

The effects of depression can also affect everyone around you - friends and family,
colleagues and co-workers.

Causes of Depression
Depression can be triggered by:

 major life events - death of a loved one, miscarriage, divorce, job loss;
 genetic factors - people with a family history of depression are more susceptible; or
 chronic illnesses - e.g. arthritis, heart disease, cancer—possibly as a side effect of
medications and/or loss of quality of life.

Gender may also play a role in depression. Women are twice as likely as men to suffer from
depression, particularly during menstrual cycle changes, pregnancy, the postpartum period,
and menopause.

The Effect of Stress

Stress is one of the major risk factors for depression. Workplace stress has many causes
and is commonly associated with excessive time and workload pressures.

An ETFO study found that over 90 per cent of all public elementary teachers felt they were
overworked. More than 69 per cent also felt that their workload was having a negative
impact on their physical and mental health. Workplace exposure to high levels of chronic
stress puts teachers at particular risk of depression.

Key Causes of Teacher Stress

 Working conditions, such as the following, may make teachers particularly vulnerable to
depression:

 Long working hours.

 Lack of administrative support.
 Excessive workload.
 Large class sizes.
 Lack of specialist teachers.
 Unreasonable expectations.
 Lack of necessary supports to do the job.

Dealing with Stress

Prolonged exposure to stress can cause serious health issues. Making a few, simple, lifestyle

changes can reduce your stress level and lower your risk of depression. Protect yourself by:

 taking control of your life, setting achievable goals at work and at home, and being
realistic about what you can accomplish.
 improving your time management skills and managing your workload by prioritizing
responsibilities and working to a planned schedule. Job satisfaction will improve
when you focus on tasks that are personally and professionally meaningful.
 making time for relationships and taking time to connect with family and friends. A
strong support network makes stress easier to manage.
 eating a healthy, balanced diet to maintain good mental and physical health.
 exercising regularly. Even a 10-minute walk, three times a day, reduces stress and
relieves symptoms of depression.----
http://www.etfo.ca/adviceformembers/depression/pages/default.aspx

Teacher depression
may affect child
learning




By Kathryn Doyle

Teacher depression may be one of many factors that determine how well kids
can learn, Carol McDonald Connor, a psychology professor at Arizona State
University in Tempe, told Reuters Health.

“If the teacher’s depressed but so good at teaching math, those kids
are probably fine,” she said. “But if the teacher is depressed and
struggling with a new curriculum, that’s going to have a much larger
Teachers tend to have higher rates of
impact.”
depression than the general population, but
researchers aren’t sure why, said the study’s
coauthor Leigh McLean, a graduate
research associate at Arizona State
University.
“Something about the stress of teaching may
leave teachers more vulnerable to
depression, or it may also be that the type of
person who becomes a teacher also tends to
be more sensitive emotionally,” McLean told
Reuters Health. “But we haven’t tested that
explicitly.”
Teacher depression rates and the
relationship to student learning may depend
on other factors like socioeconomic level, but
that would require a larger study, McLean
said.
 One theory is that depression makes it
harder for teachers to maintain the optimal
learning environment for kids, Connor said.
For third graders, that means an active and
dynamic environment rather than a lot of
desk work, she said.----
“Our assumption is that the really important
interactions are in some way disrupted,” she
said.
But the relationship may go in the other
direction, which is something the
researchers did not test, Bianchi noted.
ALSO IN HEALTH NEWS

 Study confirms Zika causes brain birth defects, questions remain

 Brain cancer now deadliest for U.S. children: study

“Poor classrooms can cause

teacher depression and depressed teachers
can create poorer quality classrooms,”
Bianchi said. “A circular causal pathway is at
stake here.”
There is some evidence for both directions,
said Bridget Hamre, associate director of the
Center for Advanced Study of Teaching and
Learning at the University of Virginia in
Charlottesville.
“This study is just a reminder that teachers
are people and that for all of us our mental
health impacts our daily interactions with
others,” Hamre told Reuters Health by email.
“For teachers that just has a higher stake
than it does for some of us who work in an
office.”
“It’s also just a nice reminder that we need to
make sure that among all the discussion of
school reforms we need to be thoughtful
about creating work environments that can
support teachers’ well-being,” she said.
“Even the best curriculum won’t do any good
in the hands of a teacher who is too
overwhelmed and stressed out to implement
it well or to develop positive relationships
with students.”
One thing parents can do is get to know their
children’s teachers and make sure they talk
to their kids about what happens at school,
Connor said.
“We don’t want teachers to become targets
for blame,” McLean said. “We should
promote a comprehensive understanding of
mental health.”
SOURCE: bit.ly/1uFbuLJ Child
Development, online February 11, 2015.-----
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mental-
health-teacher-depression-
idUSKBN0LF27620150211
Predicting Teacher Anxiety, Depression, and Job Satisfaction Kristen Ferguson
Nipissing University Lorraine Frost Nipissing University David Hall Nipissing
University Abstract This study investigates predictors of anxiety, depression, and
job satisfaction in teachers in northern Ontario. Using data from self-report
questionnaires, factor analysis and multiple linear regression were performed to
determine which sources of stress predict stress-related symptoms among teachers
and to explore job satisfaction as predicted by: stress, depression, anxiety, years of
teaching experience, gender, grade level assignment and position (part-time vs. full-
time). The results indicate that workload and student behaviour were significant
predictors of depression in teachers in the study. Workload, student behaviour, and
employment conditions were significant predictors of anxiety. In addition, stress and
depression had a significant and negative impact on job satisfaction. Years of
teaching experience was a significant and positive predictor of job satisfaction.
Anxiety, gender, grade level, and position were not statistically significant
predictors of teacher job satisfaction. Therefore, efforts made to improve workload,
student behavior, and employment conditions may lead to reduced stress among
teachers and thus lower levels of depression and anxiety. These results may provide
guidance for teachers and administrators, as well as inform teacher retention efforts
and attempts to improve teacher job satisfaction. Kyriacou (2001) defines teacher
stress as “the experience by a teacher of unpleasant, negative emotions, such as
anger, anxiety, tension, frustration or depression, resulting from some aspect of their
work as a teacher” (p. 28). Teacher stress appears to be prevalent in the teaching
profession. In their pivotal study, Kyriacou and Sutcliffe (1978) found that
approximately 20% of comprehensive school teachers in England found teaching to
be very stressful or extremely stressful. Borg and Riding (1991) found even higher
results in the stress levels of Maltese teachers, with almost 34% of Maltese teachers
rating their jobs as either very stressful or extremely stressful. A study of New
Zealand intermediate teachers by Manthei and Gilmore (1996) found that just over
26% of teachers felt that teaching was either very or extremely stressful. 28
Predicting Teacher Anxiety, Depression, and Job Satisfaction Canadian teachers are
also experiencing high levels of stress. According to the Canadian Teacher’s
Federation (2001), six in ten teachers surveyed find that their job is more stressful
now than it was two years ago. The 2006 Ontario College of Teachers annual
survey, entitled The State of the Teaching Profession, found Ontario teachers are
experiencing high levels of stress, with 13% of teachers indicating that they feel
stressed all the time, compared to only 7% of workers in the general public
(Jamieson, 2006). The Ontario College of Teachers also surveyed education
graduates of the year 2001 and found that the second highest reason for teachers
leaving the profession was because working conditions were too stressful (McIntyre,
2006). Some researchers have investigated how physical and emotional symptoms
of stress are related to teacher stress. Kyriacou and Sutcliffe (1978), for example,
found a positive correlation among 17 symptoms of stress and self-reported teacher
stress. The highest correlation (r) was between the symptom of frustration and
teacher stress, having a correlation coefficient of r = .610. Other very high
correlations found by Kyriacou and Sutcliffe existed between teacher stress and
feeling very tense (r = .600) and exhaustion (r = .525). Manthei and Gilmore (1996)
also found that 31.4% of teachers indicated a high to severe level of disturbance in
regard to their general health. While Manthei and Gilmore do not correlate these
disturbances with teacher stress, they imply that “the score indicates a level of
anxiety and tension” (p. 16). While Kyriacou and Sutcliffe and Manthei and
Gilmore’s work explores teacher stress and its relationship to possible manifested
symptoms of teacher stress, a review of the literature, however, provides scant data
about factors that cause teacher stress as predictors of anxiety or depression. Studies
of occupational stress in other fields do reveal some research into stress predictors of
depression. Baba, Galperin, and Lituchy (1999), for example, found that burnout is a
predictor of depression among nurses in the Caribbean. Revicki, Gallery, Whitley,
and Allison(1993) found that work-related stress is a significant predictor of
depression in second-year emergency medicine residents. There appears, however,
to be little research published about stress factors that may predict anxiety.
According to the Ontario College of Teachers, “there are growing signs of unease in
the profession” (Browne, 2007, p. 55). The Ontario College of Teacher’s annual
“State of the Teaching Profession” phone survey, which contacted more than one
thousand teachers, found that “only 78 per cent are happy with the job they are
doing, while 70% are satisfied with their school and 73 per cent are satisfied with
the profession as a whole” (Browne, p. 55). According to the College, this is a
significant change from the results of the 2006 annual survey (Browne, Ibid.). In the
report on the annual survey in the Ontario College of Teacher’s magazine,
Professionally Speaking, Browne discusses some possible reasons for this change in
teachers’ job satisfaction. Browne speculates that the higher satisfaction rates in
2006 may indicate an era of peace that was created by an earlier change in
provincial government that resulted in higher salaries and more resources (Ibid.).
Browne also notes that the decrease in job satisfaction in 2007 may also reflect the
change in demographics in the teaching profession since there are many young
teachers and the first few years of teaching may have a sharp learning curve (Ibid.).
Kristen Ferguson, Lorraine Frost, and David Hall 29 A review of the literature
reveals an abundance of research that investigates relationships between certain job
factors and teacher job satisfaction. For example, one focus of research in teacher
job satisfaction has been on a principal’s leadership style and school climate (Evans
& Johnson, 1990; Littrell, 1994; Taylor & Tashakkori, 1995). The literature,
however, is limited in the area of predictors of teacher job satisfaction. One study
which does examine predictors of teacher job satisfaction is the research by DeFrank
and Stroup (1989). DeFrank and Stoup surveyed teachers in a school district in
Texas and found that job stress was the strongest predictor of teacher job
satisfaction. A more recent study which investigates predictors of job satisfaction
was the work of Kim and Loadman (1994). Kim and Loadman surveyed practicing
classroom teachers selected from the graduation lists from ten universities in the
United States; 2054 teachers completed the survey. Kim and Loadman found seven
statistically significant predictors of teacher job satisfaction, including salary,
opportunities for advancement, professional challenge, professional autonomy,
working conditions, interaction with colleagues and interactions with students. In
other occupations, research has also been undertaken to investigate predictors of job
satisfaction. In nursing, for example, predictors of job satisfaction include stress
(Flanagan, 2006; Rout, 2000), perceived relations with co-workers (Decker, 1997),
social support from the supervisor, reward, and control over work (Gelsema et al.,
2006). Thus, while there has been some research conducted in the area of predictors
of teacher job satisfaction, clearly more research, particularly with Canadian
teachers, is needed. Teacher job satisfaction may be a critical component for teacher
retention in Ontario. The Ontario College of Teachers reports that in 2005, 8% of
2001 teacher-education graduates were no longer members of the College
(McIntyre, 2006). These participants were separated into two groups: those who
intend to return to the teaching profession and those who have left. The response to
the survey item “satisfaction with teaching experience” differed significantly
between the two groups: the mean score for those who have left the profession on
this item was 2.54 and the mean for those who intend to return to the profession was
3.62 (“1= strong dissatisfaction or low support, 5 =strong satisfaction or high
support,” McIntyre, p. 49). According to the report, for those that have left the
profession, “teaching appears to have been a negative experience for them”
(McIntyre, p. 50). The purpose of our research was twofold. First, we sought to
identify which occupational stress factors predict teacher anxiety and depression.
Second, we wanted to identify significant predictors of teacher job satisfaction. We
believe our research is unique because most research on teacher stress examines
levels of stress, stress factors, and symptoms of stress, but does not examine the
relationship among these factors so that statements about predictors of teacher
anxiety and depression can be made. We also feel that our research into the
predictors of job satisfaction of northern Ontario teachers is important as it
contributes to the dearth of research on this topic in Canada. Theoretical Framework
We approached this study on stress using the theory of psychological distress. A life
without stress is not plausible or desirable. In reasonable doses, stress is a 30
Predicting Teacher Anxiety, Depression, and Job Satisfaction motivator and may
enhance work performance (Selye, 1976). On the other hand, in unreasonable
amounts, stress can become distress (Cedoline, 1982). Psychological distress is
defined as a negative event over which a person has no control (Mirowsky & Ross,
2003). Teachers encounter many potentially negative events in their everyday
professional lives over which they have little or no control or power. Students’
behaviours and lives outside of school, school board and government initiatives, job
security, and promotion are just a few examples of situations over which teachers
may have little or no control. Thus, negative events over which teachers have little
or no control may create distress. According to Mirowsky and Ross, psychological
distress takes two forms: depression and anxiety. Also framing our study is
Herzberg’s theory of motivation to work (Herzberg, Mausner, & Snyderman, 1959).
Following this theory, certain factors are motivating forces that enhance job
satisfaction; other factors (called hygiene factors) may cause teachers to be
unsatisfied with their jobs. Motivation factors, which lead to job satisfaction include
achievement, recognition, the work itself, responsibility, and the opportunity for
growth. Hygiene factors, which lead to dissatisfaction if not addressed, include
supervision, interpersonal relations, salary, and company policies. The removal of a
dissatisfying factor, however, will not necessarily provide satisfaction in and of
itself; and, conversely, when job satisfaction increases, dissatisfaction will be
unaffected. Nias (1981) tested Herzberg’s theory of job satisfaction on a sample of
100 teachers and found that the Herzberg’s theory of motivation and hygiene factors
to be true with the results of her study of teacher job satisfaction. We believe,
therefore, that for teachers to be satisfied with their jobs hygiene factors must be
addressed and also that motivation factors must be present.

Table 2: Factor pattern matrix of the sources

of teacher stress.
Sources of stress Factor 1 Factor 2 Factor 3
Factor 4
Too much work .961
Not enough time to do work .957
Lack of time for marking .819
Increase in workload .803
Balancing home and work .791
Inadequate preparation time .719
Paperwork .650
Lack of time to assist students .638
Completing report cards .631
Taking courses while working .532
Split-grade classrooms .515
Class size .445
Accountable for student
achievement
.413
Shortage of teaching materials .412
Completing IEPs .387
Curriculum changes .379
Poorly motivated students .879
Disruptive student behaviour .765
Students’ attitude towards work .732
Student misbehaviour .619
Lack of social respect for
teachers
.485
Undeserved criticism of teachers .477
Mixed student ability .472
Maintaining class discipline .420
Student difficulties at home .351
Lack of recognition of teachers ,329
Poor promotion opportunities .657
Job security .561
Lack of professional
development
.557
Inadequate salary .484
Extra-curricular responsibilities .384
Relations with support staff .377
Relationship with other teachers .356
Relationship with principal/VP .842
Lack of communication from
admin.
.825
Attitudes/Behaviour of principal .823
Lack of input in decision-making .407
Table 1: Factor pattern matrix of physical
and psychological symptoms of
teacher stress.
Symptoms of Stress Factor 1 Factor 2
Depression .784
Unable to cope .708
Exhaustion .613
Sadness .476
Increased blood pressure .467
Very angry .461
Difficulty sleeping .448
Headaches .448
Cold sweats .419
 Anxiety .851
Nervousness .756

Tense .602
Panic .578
POSTED SEPTEMBER 22ND, 2014 BY ADMIN & FILED UNDER EDUCATION, NEWS, SUPPORT.

Supporting Teachers who have Depression

Some people think that because teachers have short hours and long holidays, they have no reason
to have depression. Those people may never have taught a class full of children. Teaching can be
challenging, even for teachers who are in the best of health. Teachers who have depression may
feel deep levels of inadequacy, worthlessness, exhaustion and even hopelessness. They can be
extremely self-critical and often automatically assume that others are critical of them also. They can
believe that they are on their own and may withdraw from any supports that might be available to
them.

Staffrooms can be lonely places. Many teachers who have depression manage successfully to do
their work well, yet dread going to the staffroom. They may think that colleagues will recognise
immediately that they are ‘not well’ and judge them harshly for it. They may avoid going in
altogether; or go in and be very quiet and withdrawn, or deliberately put on a huge act of being ‘in
great form’. Some manage successfully to hide their depression during their working hours only to
collapse in the evenings, at weekends and during holiday times. Others are not able to hide it as
they may have had to take some time off to recover. Imagine the scene in the staffroom as someone
who has been ‘off work sick’ returns. The obvious question from concerned friends and colleagues is
‘are you better?’ While intended to be kind, this focus can seem too much. The last thing the teacher
may want is to be the centre of attention. And yet, is it ok for colleagues to ignore that someone they
work with has returned from sick leave? It can be very tricky to know what to do.
Parents of students can sometimes be very supportive but sadly some can cruelly assume that
because a teacher has been off with depression, he or she will never be fully able to teach their child
properly again. Children can pick this attitude up and in extreme cases can be instrumental in
teachers ending their careers early. We know that some people who have severe depression can
get to a point where they think that there is no point in continuing and feel hopeless. Just think of the
impact that the death of a teacher by suicide can have on their students and their colleagues, not to
mention the huge distress to their own family and friends.

Aware is very clear about the importance of separating out thoughts such as ‘I wish I wasn’t here’, ‘I
have had enough’ and ‘people would be better off without me’ from the act of suicide. It can be very
common for any of us on a ‘bad day’ to wonder what the point of continuing to live is anyway.
Labelling people as ‘suicidal’ just because they have those thoughts is not accurate. It is essential to
remember that:

 Just because people think that they are ‘better off dead’, does not mean that they are
suicidal.
 Just because people may think that they are suicidal, does not mean that they have to take
their own life. There are always other options.
 Just because someone has a diagnosis of depression, DOES NOT mean that suicide is the
inevitable outcome.
The founder of Aware, Dr. Patrick Mc Keon, devised the acronym ‘Festival’ as a checklist for the
symptoms of depression. It is useful for teachers to keep an eye on their mental health by using this
checklist regularly. It is important that if you notice that you have five or more of these symptoms and
these last for most of the day, every day for a period of two weeks or more, that you visit your GP or
mental health professional who will determine if depression may be a factor and advise appropriate
treatment, if required. The symptoms are:

Feeling Sad, anxious, bored

Energy Low energy, feeling tired, fatigued
Sleep Under or over sleeping, frequent wakening
Thinking Slow thinking, poor concentration
Interest Loss of interest in hobbies/food/family, etc.
Value Low self-esteem
Aches Physical aches/pains associated with stress/anxiety i.e. headaches, tummy pains
Life Loss of interest in life, thinking about death/suicide
Four tips to help you if you are a teacher who has symptoms of depression

1. Get and take support

It may seem easier to pretend that everything is going fine but over time the effects of untreated
depression tend to become too difficult to hide. Depression is treatable and there is support
available. Visiting your GP is an important first step. Looking at the services Aware provides can be
a very useful second step. As well as providing information on depression, Aware has a number of
services that have been proven to be effective in helping people cope with depression. These
include its Life Skills programmes based on cognitive behavioural principles that are delivered online
or at locations nationwide (next programmes start in November, apply online now). It also offers
Support Groups throughout Ireland, a Support Line and Support Mail service and a database of
lectures given on depression over the past three years. Details of these are available on
www.aware.ie If you are a secondary school teacher, find out if the Aware schools programme Beat
the Blues is scheduled to take place in your school and see if you can arrange to sit in and benefit
from it too.

It is important also to encourage teachers to seek out and take support within their own school.
Principals and members of Boards of Management may have had direct or indirect experience of
depression themselves and can be extremely supportive.

2. Confide in at least one trusted colleague

As the rate of depression increases, so too, thankfully does the number of people who understand it.
Confiding in a trusted colleague that you struggle at times to cope with depression, can be
enormously helpful. He or she may be able to support you in practical ways such as focusing on
what you are doing well as opposed to how you are feeling. If you have taken some sick leave, this
trusted person could find out before you return to school what you would like the rest of the staff to
know and how you would like them to respond to you.

3. Learn to treat yourself with compassion and kindness

As noted above, teachers who have depression can be very self-critical. If you recognise that you
have a tendency to automatically blame yourself for not being ‘good enough’, if you rate everyone
else as better than you and at times even hate yourself, please stop right now! Think of a student to
whom you have shown compassion and kindness and practice doing the same for yourself.

4. Gently introduce changes for a healthier life-style

You will know best what these changes could be. Some suggestions include a healthy diet, reducing
caffeine, sugar and alcohol, eliminating nicotine, getting more exercise and sleeping better. We often
underestimate how a poor night’s sleep can affect our mood. Find out what helps you best to ‘work,
rest and play’.

We can all react differently to a diagnosis of depression. Some see it as confirmation of failure and
as something to hide. Others see it as a condition that ranges from mild to moderate to severe, can
definitely be treated and is important to catch early. Teachers who cope with depression are often
exceptional teachers. They understand what it is like to struggle and can be particularly attuned to
the needs of their students. They have a lot to teach people who do not have depression about
strength and resilience.

Dr. Claire Hayes is Clinical Director of Aware and has twenty years experience as a clinical
psychologist and educational psychologist in private practice. She is author of ‘Stress Relief for
Teachers: The Coping Triangle’ (Routledge, 2006).

Aware’s #BeattheBlues campaign is taking place this week to raise funds for the organisation’s
secondary schools programme Beat the Blues which is delivered free of charge to students aged 15-
18 in secondary schools nationwide.---- https://www.aware.ie/dr-claire-hayes-talks-about-supporting-
teachers-who-have-depression/

Investigating the Relationship between Teachers’ Depression

Level and Their Thinking Style with Rational Emotive
Behaviour Therapy
Author(s):Fuat Tanhan (presenting)
Conference:ECER 2012, The Need for Educational Research to Champion Freedom, Education and
Development for All
Network:09. Assessment, Evaluation, Testing and Measurement
Format:Paper

Session Information
09 SES 10 C, Teachers’ and Students’ Competencies and Attitudes
Parallel Paper Session
Time:2012-09-20
15:30-17:00

Room:FCT - Seminario 2
Chair:Ariane S. Willems

Contribution
Investigating the Relationship between Teachers’ Depression Level and Their
Thinking Style with Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy

Teachers have been responsible for teaching and learning process initially because of their interaction
with the students. The teachers represent a personality model to students and they can impact the
students’ psychological and cognitive state with their behavior and attitude. At this point, the
efficiency of the teacher is very important. In many research study shows that the efficiency of the
teachers is related to the psychosocial atmosphere of their working place, the level of their
requirements that needs to be meet and their professional development. (Glyn, 1982; Clees ve
Nabors; 1992; Barr, 2005). In addition, socio-economic-cultural conditions, technological and scientific
developments, laws and values, psychical environments and many other factors can affect the
teachers’ quality, motivation and performance (Sinclair, 2008; Stipek, 1993; Davis & Wilson, 2000;
Zembylas & Papanastasiou, 2005).
Depression is an important construct that can reduce the performance of the teachers in that it is a
decisive factor of motivation. Depression can lead to individuals to be passive, having difficulty in
starting a new activity, to be reluctant to develop them and working and become less motivated
(Quinn, 2002). Therefore, there is a positive linear relationship between motivation and depression
(Moon, 2000). In many study, it is pointed out that the depression is widespread among individuals
working in organization and its cost to the organization and its negative impact on efficiency of them
(Sutherland, 1995; Young & Lambie, 2007).
The depression level of teachers affects their motivation and their efficiency. In addition, the teachers’
depression level has an effect on students in a variety of ways. Therefore, the purpose of this study is
to find out their depression level, thinking style and the relationship between them based on Rational
Emotive Behaviour Therapy.

Method

It is a quantitative research study. 370 in-service teachers (45 female, 225 male) were participated
voluntarily. Three scales, Demographic Information Form, Thinking Style Scale and Beck Depression
Scale were used to collect data. The Demographic Information Form and Thinking Style Scale were
developed by the researcher of the current study. Thinking Style Scale consists of four positive and
four negative statements. The participants select their thinking style with regard to these situations.
Beck Depression Scale was originally developed by Beck in 1961. It was translated in current study
language by Sahin (1988). The scale consists of 21 items with four options from least to most. The
participants can get score from 0 to 63 and based on this the participants were divided into four
groups. The reliability of Beck Depression Scale was found 0.88. SPSS was used to analyze data.
Normality assumption was tested with Kolmogorov Smirnov test. İf it is not the case, non-parametric
test was used to analyze data.
Expected Outcomes

The relationship between the participants’ thinking style and their depression level were investigated
through Mann-Whitney U test (U= 3979,000; P=0,000).The result shows that the teachers having
positive thinking style lives less depression than the teachers having negative thinking style. In
addition, it was found that gender is a factor affecting the teachers’ depression level (U= 3525,000;
P=0,004). The female teachers having positive thinking style lives less depression than the teachers
having negative style. ıt was not found significant for males.

 Research has found that approximately 1 out of 10 individuals working in the education sector will
have depression over the course of a year. Females (9.6%) are more likely to have depression than
males (6.3%). Those at highest risk fell between the ages of 35-49.

What are some factors in the workplace that contribute to increased stress and incidence of low mood
and depression among teachers?

 Factors include:

o Bullying

o Harassment
o Unacceptable student behaviour
o Lack of organization of school and work
o Lack of support and cooperation
o Lack of necessary equipment and facilities to carry out one’s role as a teacher
o Lack of training and career development opportunities
o Nature of the work:

 Heavy workloads
 Overcrowding
 Disruptive students
 Number of special needs students
 Mental health issues among students

 Stressors in teaching were examined for a group of academics and it was found that the following
stressors were most prevalent (in descending order):
o Interpersonal conflict
o Time/effort wasted
o Reward/recognition
o Work overload
o Lack of control
o Conditions of employment

---http://www.comh.ca/antidepressant-skills/work/resources/teachers/
Key Causes of Teacher Stress
Working conditions, such as the following, may make teachers particularly vulnerable to
depression:

 Long working hours.

 Lack of administrative support.
 Excessive workload.
 Large class sizes.
 Lack of specialist teachers.
 Unreasonable expectations.
 Lack of necessary supports to do the job.

---http://www.etfo.ca/adviceformembers/depression/pages/default.aspx

These questions relate to how you've been feeling over the past four weeks. Tick a box next to each
question that best reflects your thoughts, feelings and behaviour.

In the past 4 weeks...

None of the time

A little of the time

Some of the time

Most of the time

All of the time

About how often did you feel tired out for no good reason?

About how often did you feel nervous?

About how often did you feel so nervous that nothing could calm you down?

About how often did you feel hopeless?

About how often did you feel restless or fidgety?

About how often did you feel so restless you could not sit still?
About how often did you feel depressed?

About how often did you feel that everything was an effort?

About how often did you feel so sad that nothing could cheer you up?

About how often did you feel worthless?

Submit

What happens next?

Your responses will help us provide you with a score

Based on this score, we'll tell you whether you fall into the low, medium or high range.

We'll help you take the next step, with information and contacts so you can seek support.

Please remember that this is not a diagnosis – only a health professional can provide that – but it can
give you a better sense of how you're feeling.