Effects of school violence and work context on teachers’ health

Abstract

The presented study aimed to understand how school violence and work context affect teachers’ health. The study included 744 teachers of public schools. The instruments used for data collection were: Victimization Questionnai- re, Work Context Assessment Scale, and Work-Related Harm Scale. Multinomial logistic regression analyses were performed. The results indicate that a high percentage of the participants considered the psychological and social harms as bearable. More than a third of the teachers evaluated physical harm more negatively. Gender and employment status were associated with physical harm. Physical aggression affected psychological harm. Verbal harassment and work organization were predictors of all types of harm. We concluded that models of work structuring, management practices, and being a victim of verbal harassment have a central role in teachers’ health.