Student teachers as in-service teachers in schools: The moderating effect of social support in the relationship between student teachers’ instructional activities and their work-related stress

Teacher shortages have led schools to fill vacant positions with student teachers who are not yet fully qualified but work part-time in schools. When student teachers begin working in the classroom, they face professional challenges that can lead to work-related stress. Drawing on assumptions from the job demands–resources (JD-R) model, we surveyed 172 student teachers in Germany and found that more complex instructional activities (e.g., teaching independently) are related to higher work-related stress. While social support from colleagues moderates this relationship, student teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs do not.