ABSTRACT
Teaching is rapidly becoming one of the most stressful occupations in the United States, rivaled only by air traffic controllers. Although the issue of teacher stress is not a new one, the severity and scope of the problem appear unprecedented (Halpin, Harris, & Halpin, 1985; Litt & Turk, 1985; O'Hair, 1987; O'Hair & Housner, 1989). Teacher stress may be defined as the experience of unpleasant, negative emotions and distress that exist when the problems confronting teachers threaten their well-being and surpass their ability to resolve these problems (Forman, 1982; Kyriacou & Sutcliffe, 1978; Litt & Turk, 1985). The widespread recognition of teacher stress among the majority of teachers in the United States today is well documented; however, frequently less is known about the specific stress producing environments. In particular, when examining stress producers among teachers the majority of teachers reported higher stress levels due to lack of administrative support concerning student discipline and ineffective administrator communication leading to interpersonal problems (Feitler & Tokar, 1982; Raschke, Dedrick, Strathe, & Hawes, 1985). It is the purpose of this chapter to explore from a social power and interpersonal communication perspective factors concerning teacher stress and burnout with particular attention focused on teacher communication with students, colleagues, and administrators.
