Chapter 8: Manifestations of Occupational Stress in Brazilian Teachers

The purpose of this study was to describe and explain the manifestations of stress in teachers in a Brazilian federal education institution. The reference used in the study was the theoretical model to explain occupational stress (MTEG) applied to a population of 503 teachers and a sample of 199 faculty members with a significant of p <0.05. Results showed that 66.3% of the surveyed individuals had manifestations of stress. We found a prevalence of mental symptoms, particularly anxiety, neck and shoulder muscle pain and distress. We found that the causes of stress are mainly related to organizational and relational factors at the workplace. When relating stress to demographic variables, we concluded that the manifestations of stress were more pronounced among teachers in the age group up to 45 years, those who had health problems and those who were on continuous medication. Using correlation and regression statistical tests, we were able to confirm that work relationships, specific aspects of the teaching work and the sources of strain related to individual characteristics positively influence the manifestations of stress, whereas the strategies for physical and mental recovery have a negative impact on the occurrence of stress among the surveyed teachers.