Teacher Stress and Classroom Structural Characteristics in Preschool Settings

1
Teacher Stress and Classroom Structural
Characteristics in Preschool Settings

• Richard Lambert UNC Charlotte
• Martha Abbott-Shim Quality Counts
• Chris McCarthy UT Austin
• Megan ODonnell
• Laurie Bates
• Jeni Kusherman
• UNC Charlotte

2
Current Strategies for Measuring Stress

• Negative Life Events
• Burnout
• Physiological Symptoms
• Psychological Symptoms
• Situational Demands
• Daily Hassles

3
Transactional Models of Stress(Lazarus and
Folkman)

• Stress results from perceptions of inequality
  between resources and demands
• Appraisals of resources and demands mediate the
  stress response

4
Theory Supporting the Classroom Appraisal of
Resources and Demands

• Context-specific Appraisal
• of Demands
• Context-specific Appraisal
• of Resources
• Task-specific Efficacy

5
Perceived Inequality Risk for Stress
6
Can the car handle the road?
7
Classroom Appraisal of Resources and Demands

• Interviews with Teachers
• Pilot Tested Draft Versions
• Open-ended Questions
• Review of Item Content
• Revisions

8
Classroom Appraisal of Resources and Demands

• Classroom Composition and
• Structural Characteristics
• Teacher Demographics
• Classroom Demands
• School or Program Resources
• Personal Resources

9
Classroom Appraisal of Resources and Demands

• The CARD measures teachers perception of
  classroom demands, as well as how helpful school
  resources are in meeting these demands.

10
Resources Scale

• Ratings on a Five Point Scale
• Very Unhelpful to Very Helpful
• Sample Item Topics
• Aides / Assistants
• Administrators
• Support Personnel
• Staff Development
• Instructional Materials
• Materials for Special Populations

11
Demands Scale

• Ratings on a Five Point Scale
• Not Demanding to Extremely Demanding
• Sample Item Topics
• Preparing Classroom Materials
• Paperwork Requirements
• Class Size
• Range of Development / Abilities
• Children Who Do Not Follow Directions
• Special Populations

12
Reliability of Difference Score

• Formula Contains
• Reliability of Resources Score
• Reliability of Demands Score
• Correlation Between
• Resources and Demands

13
Samples

• Preschool Sample Obtained
• from Head Start Programs in
• GA, AL NC
• n317
• Almost all Samples of Teachers Serve
  Predominantly Low-Income Children

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Grouping Teachers by Risk for Stress

• Reliabilities
• Resources .951
• No. of Items 22
• Demands .942
• No. of Items 26
• Diff. Score .950
• Correlation -.084

15
Grouping Teachers by Risk for Stress

• Used SEM to form 95 CI around difference score
  of 0
• Classified Teachers into 3 groups
• RgtD 35.0
• RD 30.3
• DgtR 34.7

16
Group Differences

• RgtD, RD, and DgtR groups compared across range of
  classroom context and teacher background
  variables
• No statistically significant differences except
  for the reported number of children with behavior
  problems

17
Group Differences

• No Differences
• Class Size
• Years Teaching Experience
• Years at Current School
• Non-English Speakers
• Homeless Children
• Children with Poor Attendance

18
Group Differences

• No Differences
• Children with Physical Disabilities
• Gifted Children
• Below Grade Level
• Developmentally Behind
• Homeless Children
• Children with Poor Attendance

19
Group Differences

• Mean Number of Children in Classroom with
  Behavior Problems
• RgtD 1.75
• RD 2.32
• DgtR 3.28

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Conclusions

• Preliminary Support for Measuring
• Classroom Resources and Demands
• Context-Specific Appraisal Strategy
• Viability of Difference Score Strategy
• Validity of CARD Demonstrated Through Group
  Differences
• RgtD vs. RD vs. DgtR