Job stressors and teacher job satisfaction in programs serving students with emotional and behavioral disorders

Teacher turnover is problem that continues to plague the field of special education, given the associated costs when a teacher leaves his or her job. The challenges associated with recruitment and retention of quality teachers, especially in programs serving students with emotional and behavioral disorders (E/BD) have been attributed to a variety of factors within the schools. This study examines the perceptions of teachers of students with E/BD regarding the different stressors that cause dissatisfaction and discontentment with their jobs. Electronic surveying and focus groups were used to accrue quantitative and qualitative data. Findings indicate that stressors within and outside the classrooms were responsible for high levels of stress and dissatisfaction, which eventually translate into teacher transfers or migration to other professions. Implications for promoting retention of teachers of students with E/BD are discussed.