Unraveling teacher stress: A cumulative model of risks and protective factors in Italian schools

Teacher stress poses a significant challenge to educational systems worldwide, affecting teacher retention and student outcomes. This stress stems from heavy workloads, bureaucratic demands, challenging classroom dynamics, and inadequate support, all of which undermine educators' well-being. To address this issue, our study investigates the risks and protective factors contributing to cumulative perceived stress among Italian teachers. We collected data from a national sample of 1904 teachers using a cross-sectional correlational design. We applied principal component analysis (PCA) to identify key constructs and hierarchical regression to evaluate the contributions of demographic and contextual variables. Descriptive analysis indicated high teacher stress levels (M = 8.04, SD = 1.64). Regression results revealed that school-related stress, bureaucracy-related stress, and school-relationship-related stress significantly increased stress levels. In contrast, personal care strategies and career-related satisfaction were linked to lower stress, while informal relationships showed a positive association. Our findings advance the theoretical understanding of teacher stress and provide actionable insights for targeted interventions and policy reforms. These results can guide educational leaders and policymakers in developing multifaceted strategies to support teacher well-being and enhance academic quality, offering a comprehensive framework for future research and practice.