Sources of stress, coping strategies, emotional experience: effects of the level of experience in primary school teachers in France

AbstractThis study attempted to determine whether the level of experience affected sources of stress, coping responses and emotional experience in primary school teachers. The first aim was to identify sources of stress and to evaluate coping strategies using the questionnaire of Graziani et al. (Journal de Thérapie Comportementale et Cognitive 8 (3): 100–112, 1998). The second was to evaluate the emotions experienced by teachers. This was measured using the "Echelle des émotions différentielles" (EED-IV) (St Aubin et al., Revue Européenne de Psychologie Appliquée 60: 41–53, 2010). One hundred and twenty-five teachers (87 women and 38 men), from 23 to 63 years old, working in 11 primary schools in France, participated in this investigation. Our results reveal important differences of coping between those entering the profession and those completing their career as teachers. Less experienced subjects managed stressful events, especially student behaviour, through social support. More experienced teachers mobilised other strategies (avoidance or confrontation), exhibiting less self-control.