title: Working conditions, adverse events and mental health problems in a sample of 949 German teachers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was (1) to explore in detail the working load of teachers, (2) to analyse the extent of negative or threatening school-related events teachers are confronted with, and (3) to evaluate mental health strain by applying the general health questionnaire (GHQ).
  
  
  METHODS
  A sample of 949 teachers in 10 grammar schools (German: Gymnasien) and 79 secondary modern schools (German: Hauptschulen) was investigated applying (1) a questionnaire covering different aspects of the occupational burden and threatening school-associated events and (2) the general health questionnaire (GHQ-12).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Based on what teachers indicated in the questionnaire, full-time teachers work more than 51 h weekly. More than 42% of our sample indicated verbal insults, almost 7% deliberate damage of personal belongings, and 4.4% threat of violence by pupils during the past 12 months. When applying the GHQ-12, we found that 29.8% of the sample report significant mental health problems. With respect to school types, teachers in secondary modern schools indicated more of such problems, while no effects regarding age, gender, or full/part-time teaching were observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To be a teacher is a hard work and requires coping of considerable amount of adverse events. Based on the GHQ, nearly 30% of teachers suffer from significant mental health problems.
authors.affiliation: Abteilung für Psychosomatische Medizin und Psychotherapie, Universitätsklinikum Freiburg, Hauptstr. 8, 79104 Freiburg, Germany. joachim.bauer@uniklinik-freiburg.de
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bauer
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Unterbrink
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hack
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pfeifer
authors.forename: Veronika
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Buhl-Griesshaber
authors.forename: Udo
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: Helmut
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wesche
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Frommhold
authors.forename: Reingard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Seibt
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Scheuch
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wirsching
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005178:Faculty; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires