Well-Being and Working Conditions of Teachers in Sweden

• Main Authors: Elinor Schad, Per Johnsson
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University 2019-12-01
• Series: Psychology in Russia: State of Art
• Subjects: health complaints; job satisfaction; recovery from work; self-rated health; separation between work and spare time; sweden; teachers; who-5
• Online Access: http://psychologyinrussia.com/volumes/pdf/2019_4/Psychology_4_2019_23-46_Schad.pdf

Background. In Sweden, teachers are subject to high turnover, unfavorable working conditions, and high incidence of stress-related disorders. Te aim of the present study was to (a) assess teachers’ perceptions of work-related health and working conditions, (b) examine the relationship among several key characteristics in teachers’ work environment, and (c) examine the importance for well-being of job satisfaction, separation between work and spare time, and recovery from work. Design. Primary and lower secondary school teachers in Sweden were invited to participate in a questionnaire study assessing fve central aspects of health (subjective well-being, physical activity, self-rated health, sleep quality, and health complaints). Building on previous research, the efect of job satisfaction on well-being as well as on health complaints was tested using a mediation model with separation between work and spare time, and recovery from work, as mediators. Results. Of the respondents, 40.2% scored below the cut-of recommended in the screening for depression, 43.8% qualifed as leading a sedentary lifestyle, and 33.7% reported insufcient recovery from work. Sixtyone percent reported one or more sleep problems indicative of insomnia. Well-being correlated highly with self-rated health, health complaints, and separation between work and spare time. Tere is moderate support for the two models used to analyze the associations between job satisfaction and the outcome variables — well-being and health complaints — as both separation between work and spare time, and recovery from work, partially mediate the associations. Conclusion. Te results confrm recent research pointing to the teaching profession as a vulnerable occupational group. Especially disconcerting and relevant for teachers in Sweden are results indicative of problems with recovery from work and insufcient separation between work and spare time.