Factors Associated with Upset / Teaching Welfare. A Discussion from Current Research

Abstract

Studies on work, health and welfare in teachers are scarce, fragmented and rather recent. This is particularly worrisome, considering that several researches have confirmed the high prevalence of physical and mental health disorders in teachers, with respect to other trades and professions (UNESCO, 2005, Valdivia et al, 2003). Regarding mental health and psychological distress in the teaching work, there are notable conceptual confusions regarding psychiatric disorders, work stress and burnout. The above explains why the largest research program, currently underway, on work and health in teachers, called EUROTEACH, uses the construct of "well-being / health" to refer to the conditions of physical, mental and well-being or psychological distress (Verhoeven et al., 2003; Rasku and Kinnunen, 2003).