Teacher Stress and Social Support Usage

In this paper, we explore how the frequency of utilization of social supports is related to teacherdemographics, stress factors, job satisfaction, career intent, career commitment, and theperception of a stigma attached to teacher stress. Using data from self-report questionnaires(N= 264) from teachers in northern Ontario, we found that teachers seldom spoke to their healthcare providers about stress and instead utilized family, friends, fellow teachers, and sometimestheir principals. The frequency of which teachers accessed different social support networks didvary depending on stressor (workload, student behaviour, professional relationships, societalattitudes, and employment conditions). Teachers who frequently talked to their friends aboutstress had a lower sense of career intent and career commitment. Males were less likely to talkto their various social supports about stress. This study adds to the literature by exploring thefrequency of contact with and usage of social supports and their impact on teacher stress andperspectives on teaching.