Teacher stress and supports, classroom practices and student outcomes in high poverty urban elementary schools

• Published in: Psychology in the schools 2024-01, Vol.61 (1), p.29-42
• Main Authors: Elliott, Amanda, Reddy, Linda A., Lekwa, Adam J., Fingerhut, Joelle
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Academic Achievement; Behavior; Behavior management; Behavior Modification; Behavior problems; Classroom practice; classroom practices; Classrooms; Disadvantaged Schools; Dominance; Elementary School Teachers; Elementary schools; Emotional support; Occupational stress; Poverty; Predictor Variables; Social Support Groups; Stress Variables; Student Behavior; student outcomes; Student teacher relationship; Students; supports; teacher stress; Teachers; Teaching; Teaching Conditions; urban; Urban Schools
• ISSN: 0033-3085; 1520-6807
• DOI: 10.1002/pits.23023

The current study examined teacher competence and contextual factors associated with teacher‐reported stress in low‐income urban elementary schools. Using a sample of 106K‐5th grade teachers from 14 low‐income urban elementary schools, associations between observed use of instructional and behavior management practices, teacher‐reported stress, perceived instrumental and emotional supports, class‐wide student academic performance, and behavioral functioning were examined. Teacher‐reported stress was significantly related to perceived emotional support, instrumental support, class‐wide student academic performance, and class‐wide student behavioral functioning. Instrumental and emotional supports, observed instructional and behavioral management practices, and class‐wide student academic and behavioral functioning jointly predicted teacher stress. Results from a dominance analysis identified class‐wide behavioral functioning, and emotional and instrumental support as the strongest predictors of teacher stress. Study limitations and implications for research and practice are discussed. Practitioner points Sources of work‐related stress rated most highly by teachers included student performance on standardized tests, teaching, student learning, student engagement, and behavior problems. The strongest predictors of teacher stress were student behavioral functioning, teacher perceived emotional and instrumental support. No relationship was found between teacher stress and instructional/behavioral classroom practices. Impact Statement Class‐wide student behavioral functioning, teacher‐reported emotional and instrumental supports are found to predict teacher stress in low‐income elementary schools.