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Support from the teacher acts as a buffer against stress. Especially for girls

Young people who feel supported by their teachers experience lower levels of stress and better quality of life – both at school and in their free time.

When teenagers become stressed by schoolwork, it helps to know that their teacher wants them to do well.
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Presented by: University of Agder
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“Getting support from a teacher means students feel that the teacher wants them to do well and succeed,” says Erik Grasaas from the University of Agder.

He is one of the researchers who has studied how teenagers experience receiving support from their teacher.

In the 2024 study, the researchers used data from the Ungdata survey, in which 139,000 Norwegian adolescents participated.

Erik Grasaas is a researcher in the teacher education programmes at the University of Agder.

“Teachers impact how young people feel not just at school, but also in their lives outside of school. This is true for both boys and girls, no matter their socioeconomic background,” says Grasaas.

Large gender differences

Teacher support functions as a buffer against stress, especially for girls.

According to the study, girls report significantly higher stress levels than boys. In lower secondary school, 38 per cent of girls say they often feel stressed about schoolwork, compared to 17 per cent of boys. 

The difference remains clear in upper secondary school.

“Teacher support reduces stress levels for both genders, but the change is particularly noticeable among girls,” says Grasaas.

60 per cent of girls in lower secondary school who do not receive support from their teachers often feel stressed. Among those who do receive support, only 33 per cent feel the same way.

A buffer against low quality of life

Besides reducing stress, teacher support shields young people from the negative effects stress can have on their overall quality of life. This impact is particularly noticeable in lower secondary school.

“When students feel that teachers care about them, the school environment becomes safer both academically and personally. This boosts student well-being and improves their overall experience,” says Gunn Bjørnsen.

She is the dean of the Teacher Education Unit at the University of Agder, and co-author of the study.

She believes the study is particularly significant given that two out of ten students drop out of upper secondary school.

Time and resources for relationship building

The connection between teacher support and students' quality of life is strong, but slightly stronger in lower secondary than in upper secondary school.

Grasaas explains that because adolescence is a time of many changes, younger and older students might perceive teacher support differently.

"We see how crucial good teachers are for young people. And I think it's also reassuring for teachers to have confirmation of how important their relationships with students are," he says.

Nevertheless, he and Bjørnsen are concerned about the pressures on the teaching profession. They believe it is important to give teachers the time and resources to care for the students.

“We want teachers to have time to do their jobs, to create a classroom culture where students thrive and form good relationships. Because this affects not just academic performance, but also how students feel at home,” says Bjørnsen.

Ways teachers can show support

  • Greet each student daily with a handshake and a smile 😊
  • Make sure students know you want them to succeed.
  • Aim to see or talk to everyone in the class during your class or day. A smile or a nod might be enough.
  • Be patient and show self-control. You are an important role model for the students.
  • Show empathy and accept that young people are and think differently from adults.
  • Take the time to talk and listen. Good relationships are very important.
  • Respond when they ask. Remember, as a teacher, you greatly influence how they feel at school and in their free time.

Reference:

Grasaas et al. The relationship between perceived school stress and satisfaction with life among Norwegian school-based adolescents and the moderating role of perceived teacher care: a cross-sectional study, BMC Public Health, vol. 24, 2024. DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-20246-w

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Read the Norwegian version of this article on forskning.no

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