NCJ Number
155868
Journal
Journal of Drug Education Volume: 20 Issue: 1 Dated: (1990) Pages: 47-65
Date Published
1990
Length
19 pages
Annotation
Since work-related stress may be correlated with the desire to leave the teaching profession and drug use, a stratified random sample of 500 Texas teachers was surveyed about working conditions, collegial and supervisory relationships, job satisfaction, rigidity of attitudes, and drug use.
Abstract
The survey questionnaire consisted of over 80 items and was administered to teachers who averaged 12 years of teaching and had a mean age of 38.8 years. Questionnaire responses indicated that 23 percent of the 500 teachers were dissatisfied with their present position and that 66 percent may want to leave the profession. Teachers reported higher stress rates than a national sample of lifetime alcohol, amphetamine, and tranquilizer use and higher rates of alcohol use in the last year and last month. Selected measures of stress were correlated with drug use, particularly amphetamine use, over the lifetime, last year, and last month. Additional research is recommended to assess the role of occupational and personal stress in drug and alcohol use by teachers so that effective intervention efforts can be planned. 39 references and 8 tables