The purpose of this study was to explore the ways to minimize special teachers'' job stress. For this purpose, the researcher comparatively analyzed the job stress levels among national/public special schools, private special schools and special class...
The purpose of this study was to explore the ways to minimize special teachers'' job stress. For this purpose, the researcher comparatively analyzed the job stress levels among national/public special schools, private special schools and special classroom teachers and depending on teachers'' demographic variables.For this study, the researcher sampled 356 special teachers from national/public special schools, private special schools and special classrooms residing in Seoul, Kyong-Gi-Do, and Inchon district. In order to measure special teachers'' job stress level, the researcher modified and complemented the 'Stress Profile for Teachers' developed by Wilson (1979), translated by Lee Yeon-joo (1996). The data collected were processed with T-test, F-test, and Scheffe''s post validation.The results of this study can be summarized as follows;First, it was found that the special teachers working for national/public special schools and private special schools were more stressed in their relationship with students than those working for special classrooms, and that the special teachers working for private special schools were more stressed in their relationship with school administrators than those working for national/public special schools or special classrooms.Second, as a result of comparative analysis depending on teachers'' demographic variables, it was disclosed that female teachers showed higher physical and psychological symptoms of stress than male teachers in all three groups. In case of national/public special schools, unmarried teachers were stressed with teaching and miscellaneous jobs, and those teachers with 20-year or longer career were stressed much in their relationship with their colleagues, while those teachers with 5-year or shorter career were stressed much with teaching and miscellaneous jobs. And in overall terms, the secondary special school teachers were more stressed with their job. In case of special classrooms, married teachers or those teachers with 5~19-year-long career were stressed much with their treatment and working conditions. Also, the secondary school teachers were more stressed in overall terms, and those teachers in charge of 5 or more students were more stressed in their relationship with students. In case of private special schools, teachers stress levels did not significantly differ depending on their demographic variables except for gender.Third, as a result of analyzing special teachers'' job stress level by sub-factor, it was found that all three groups of special teachers were stressed much with teaching, miscellaneous jobs, and in their relationship with students, suffering much from the physical symptoms due to stress.As discussed above, it is deemed necessary to identify the differences of stress among special teachers depending on school types and thereby, provide them with differentiated supports and treatment. Lastly, it is hoped that this study will be followed up by future studies which will develop the specific and practical methods to relieve special teachers of their job stress and check their stressful conditions.