An Exploratory Comparative Study of Staff Stress in English and German Comprehensive Schools

Abstract This is an exploratory comparative study of staff stress in two West German and two English comprehensive schools. The teachers completed a questionnaire concerned with stress situations and a check list of stress responses. I also interviewed them and obtained their recommendations for the reduction of stress. The English teachers identified more stress situations than the German staff. The latter were more certain about their role responsibilities and felt more able to participate in decision‐making in school. Both the English and German teachers reported their major stress situations to be poor staff communications and disruptive pupil behaviour.