title: Coping patterns in special school staff: demographic and organizational factors.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Teachers' mental health is commonly discussed in organizational health studies, but studies in special schools are rare. Work-related coping and experience patterns (WCEPs) have been shown to be associated with mental health and intentions to leave. The influence of organizational factors on coping patterns has not been examined.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the distribution of WCEPs in special school staff and to identify potential influencing factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  We surveyed a sample of teachers and educational staff in 13 German special schools using the WCEP questionnaire and COPSOQ (Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 245 teachers and 417 educational staff contacted, 114 teachers (47%) and 252 educational staff (60%) responded, an overall response rate of 55% (366/662). Coping patterns of special school staff were classified as unambitious (30%), excessively ambitious (7%), resigned (17%), healthy-ambitious (12%) or unclassifiable (34%). Furthermore we found several significant relations with demographic and organizational factors. For example, the resigned pattern is associated with age [Exp(B) 1.12; 95% CI 1.05-1.19], emotional demands [Exp(B) 1.07; 95% CI 1.01-1.12], work-family conflict [Exp(B) 1.07; 95% CI 1.03-1.10] and bullying [Exp(B) 1.04; 95% CI 1.00-1.08].
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Since emotional and social factors are associated with risky (excessively ambitious or resigned) and unambitious coping patterns in special school teachers and educational staff, interventions should focus on them. Further research could explore causal relations and observe the development of coping styles over time.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Teachers' Health at the Institute of Occupational, Social, and Environmental Medicine, Kupferbergterrasse 17-19, 55116 Mainz, Germany, johanna.adams@unimedizin-mainz.de.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.affiliation: Institute of Teachers' Health at the Institute of Occupational, Social, and Environmental Medicine, Kupferbergterrasse 17-19, 55116 Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dudenhöffer
authors.affiliation: Institute of Teachers' Health at the Institute of Occupational, Social, and Environmental Medicine, Kupferbergterrasse 17-19, 55116 Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Claus
authors.affiliation: Institute of Occupational, Social, and Environmental Medicine, Obere Zahlbacher Str. 67, 55131 Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kimbel
authors.affiliation: Institute of Teachers' Health at the Institute of Occupational, Social, and Environmental Medicine, Kupferbergterrasse 17-19, 55116 Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Letzel
authors.affiliation: Institute of Teachers' Health at the Institute of Occupational, Social, and Environmental Medicine, Kupferbergterrasse 17-19, 55116 Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: D-M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Rose
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019988:Children with Disabilities; D054541:Family Conflict / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D016272:Occupational Health; D000070777:School Teachers / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012574:Schools; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013663:Teaching / Q000523:psychology*; D016526:Workload / Q000523:psychology
keywords: Cross-sectional study; healthy workplaces; job satisfaction; mental health; occupational mental health; perceived work stressors; prevention; teachers; working conditions; workplace stress.