9 of every 10 Australian teachers are tense for the collapse point

A new study of UNSW Sydney – the first to study depression, anxiety and stress in Australian teachers – has found that they suffer from these mental health problems three times the national rule.

Study “Teachers’ Work”, rotation intentions, and mental health “published in Social Psychology of Education It included approximately 5,000 primary and high school teachers throughout the country.

The researchers found that 90 % of teachers reported moderate to very severe levels of stress, while more than two -thirds of them suffer from moderate to very severe symptoms of depression and anxiety. The numbers of depression and anxiety alone are more than twice the national average and indicate a profession under tremendous pressure.

“This is not just a luxury issue – it is a problem with the workforce,” said Dr. Helena Granzira, the main researcher, of the College of Education at the College of Arts, Design and Architecture. “The results we find that teachers suffer from mental health symptoms at much higher rates than the general population, and that these symptoms are closely related to the work of work and their intentions to leave the profession.”

Using the psychological measures that have been validated (Dass Test), the study revealed that the average teachers ’degrees of depression, anxiety and tension were in the” very extreme “range. Compared to national standards, teachers recorded three times higher for depression and almost four times for stress.

Causes of mental health issues

The research also found that the ability of the work burden was a major factor that affects the mental health of teachers. The teachers who reported their work were unprecedable to experience the symptoms of depression, which in turn was severely linked to their intentions to leave the profession. It is worth noting that 68.8 % of teachers described the burden of their work as large or not managed.

“The teachers tell us that they are drowned – not by teaching himself, but through the increasing burden of non -essential tasks,” said Dr. Granzira. “Administrative duties, compliance requirements, and excessive data collection takes time away from planning lessons and student participation. This leads to fatigue and a sense of disappointment.”

Impact on education

The results of the study come at a time when Australia faces an important shortage of teachers. According to the recent data from the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership, up to 30 % of teachers are considering leaving the profession before retirement age. The results shown in the paper add a new urgency to these concerns, which indicates that poor mental health – especially depression – is a large indication of rotation intentions.

“This research provides clear evidence that improving teachers’ working conditions is not only useful – it is necessary,” said Dr. Granzira. “If we want to keep skilled teachers and ensure a good education for all students, we must address the root causes of teacher tension and low mental health.”

The study also highlighted the variations based on the site, as teachers in rural and remote areas reported higher levels of depression. The parameters were more likely to report symptoms of depression and rotation, which reflects wider trends in occupational mental health.

What needs to be changed

In response to these results, the research team calls for a multi -side approach to support the well -being of the teacher, including:

• Politics reforms to reduce the inactive work burden and simplify administrative operations
• Monitor the level of the school to show the teacher and the burden of work
• Investing in digital mental health programs specially designed for teachers, allowing flexible and self -supporting support
• System interventions to support teachers’ retaining and reducing fatigue.

The study was conducted between October 2022 and May 2024, with employment via Black Dog Institute and social media channels using the targeted social media and teachers ’platforms.

“This is one of the largest and most comprehensive studies of mental health for teachers in Australia,” said Dr. Granzira. “It provides a clear and urgent message: our teachers are struggling, and they need support.”

The repercussions of these results extend beyond the semester. Mental health of poor teachers has been linked to a decrease in students ’achievement, reduce the quality of the semester, and the decrease in the well -being of students.

“The mental health of teachers is complicated by the results of students, both in terms of mental health for students themselves, but also the academic achievement of students,” says Dr. Granzira.

“It is clear that improving the well -being of the teacher must be a priority of policy makers not only for teachers but for our educational system as a whole.”