A narrative review of teachers’ occupational stress, job satisfaction and psychosomatic stress indicators
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Professionals working in helping professions—particularly teachers—are exposed to increased psychological demands, which may have adverse long-term effects on psychological well-being, job satisfaction, and overall health. Therefore, examining the relationships between occupational stress, job satisfaction, and stress-related psychosomatic symptoms is of particular importance from both pedagogical and preventive perspectives. The present study provides a narrative literature review of the main research directions concerning teachers and other helping professionals. Its aim is to explore how the literature conceptualizes and measures occupational stress, how it positions job satisfaction within the relationship between stress and health outcomes, and which psychosomatic stress indicators are most commonly applied in empirical investigations. The review also highlights inconsistencies and gaps within the existing body of research, with particular attention to the specific characteristics of the teaching profession. The findings may contribute to the development of preventive approaches and institution-level interventions aimed at protecting teachers’ health and well-being.
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