Learning Objective #1: Identify the relationship between work environment stressors and anxiety

Learning Objective #2: Describe specific strategies to reduce work environment stess

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Objective: Work environment stressors have become salient health and safety issues for secondary school teachers, and the majority of U.S. workers. The long-term consequences of work environment stress are the undiagnosed and untreated adverse psychological reactions that lead to higher health care costs and decreased productivity. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between work environment stressors, social support, anxiety, and depression in secondary school teachers.

Design: The study was a descriptive correlation design. A convenience sample of 168 male and female secondary school teachers from two urban and five suburban high schools in central New Jersey completed the Ongoing and Episodic Stressor Scale, Contents of Communication Scale, the State Anxiety Inventory, and the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale.

Variables: The four predictor variables were ongoing and episodic stressors, coworker and supervisor support. The two criterion variables were anxiety and depression.

Findings: A variety of ongoing and episodic stressors were positively correlated with anxiety (p < 0.001). Ongoing stressors were the most important predictors of anxiety in secondary school teachers. Coworker support was also significant in explaining anxiety. Higher levels of coworker support was correlated to lower levels of anxiety. Coworker and supervisor support failed to have a significant interaction with episodic and ongoing stressors in explaining anxiety.

Conclusion: The findings were consistent with the development of anxiety due to work environment stressors. A work environment that encourages positive communication patterns among coworkers should improve the individual's ability to cope with stressors and reduce anxiety.