Ferguson, Ahmar Ira;
(2022)
Creating Space in a Busy and Complex System- Exploring the Factors that Impact how EPs Support Teachers with Work Related Stress.
Doctoral thesis (D.Ed.Psy), UCL (University College London).
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Abstract
Excessive levels of stress as a consequence of high workload continues to be the primary reason why teachers leave their profession. Despite the ability that Educational Psychologists (EPs) have to work with schools to support mental health and well-being, EPs are not routinely commissioned by schools to undertake activities that supports teachers to manage work related stress. This study sought to explore the factors that impacted how EPs worked with teachers to reduce stress. The study did this by exploring the views of Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators (SENCos) and EPs. The research employed a mixed method approach, which combined qualitative and quantitative data in two distinct phases of data collection. A total of 49 SENCos and 56 EPs were recruited for the study. Phase one of the study involved EPs and SENCos completing an online questionnaire. Data from the first phase of the study was then analysed to inform the follow up semi-structured interviews which would form the second phase of the study. A total of five EPs and five SENCos were recruited for the second phase of the study. Findings from both phases of the study confirmed that EPs and SENCos believed that teachers continued to be overly stressed due to high workload, and that the Covid-19 pandemic had exacerbated teacher stress. SENCo uncertainty of the EP role, and the limited access that schools have to EPs, were cited as significant barriers impeding SENCos from commissioning EPs to do work that would reduce teacher stress. The key findings are extensively discussed in the final chapter, and implications for both policy and practice are outlined as a result. The study concludes that EPs should be afforded a greater role in supporting teachers to reduce and manage stress. However, the study argues that equal consideration needs to be given to the systems and processes that cause teachers’ stress in the first place.
| Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Qualification: | D.Ed.Psy |
| Title: | Creating Space in a Busy and Complex System- Exploring the Factors that Impact how EPs Support Teachers with Work Related Stress |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | Copyright © The Author 2022. Original content in this thesis is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) Licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/). Any third-party copyright material present remains the property of its respective owner(s) and is licensed under its existing terms. Access may initially be restricted at the author’s request. |
| UCL classification: | UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Education > UCL Institute of Education UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Education > UCL Institute of Education > IOE - Psychology and Human Development UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Education UCL |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10153727 |
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