A moment for the teacher: The role of savoring in school teacher psychological adjustment to a highly stressful work event

ABSTRACT

School teachers are likely to experience highly stressful events through their work. Thus, it is important to understand emotion regulation factors, such as savoring the moment, that might protect a school teacher’s psychological adjustment following a highly stressful work event. First, we examined whether school teachers’ ability to savor the moment buffers the psychological impact of a highly stressful work event on school teacher psychological adjustment. Second, we examined whether, following a highly stressful work event, savoring the moment relates to better psychological adjustment in school teachers through greater meaning in life. We surveyed 110 Australian school teachers (M = 40.15 years) who completed measures of psychological impact of a stressful work event, savoring the moment, psychological adjustment, and meaning in life. Regression results showed that 1) savoring the moment buffered the negative psychological impact of a highly stressful work event on psychological adjustment outcomes of depression and anxiety; and 2) meaning in life mediated the relationship between savoring the moment and psychological adjustment. The findings have theoretical and practical implications for school teacher psychological adjustment.

KEYWORDS:

• school teachers
• highly stressful work event
• savoring the moment
• psychological adjustment
• wellbeing
• meaning in life

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

Data from this study are available from the first author upon reasonable request.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Christina Samios

Christina Samios, PhD (Clinical Psychology), is an Associate Professor of Psychological Sciences at the Australian College of Applied Professions and an Adjunct Associate Professor at Southern Cross University’s Faculty of Health. Her research focuses on meaning making in response to stressful life events and situations.

Leshay Wells

Leshay Wells, Grad Dip (Psychological Science), is a provisional psychologist completing her Master of Clinical Psychology at Bond University, Australia. Her interests include supporting mental health and well-being outcomes for people with disabilities and older populations, drawing upon acceptance and self-compassion-based approaches.

Jessica Hellyar

Jessica Hellyar, Honours (Psychological Science), is a provisional psychologist and is completing her Master of Professional Psychology at Griffith University, Australia. She has experience conducting psychological assessment and delivering cognitive behavioral interventions. She is interested in working with children who have learning difficulties or complex behavioral and mental health concerns.