Psychological well-being , race and school setting : A comparative study among South African teachers in the SABPA study

Teacher stress and depression are a serious problem in the teaching profession with obvious implications for teachers’ psychological well-being. The aim with this study was to compare psychological well-being and distress between Black and White teachers in different schools in the North West Province of the South Africa. A secondary data analysis of existing data, collected between 2008 and 2009, as part of the multidisciplinary Sympathetic Activity and Ambulatory Blood Pressure in Africans (SABPA) project, was used. White (n=208) and Black (n=200) teachers completed the Teacher Stress Inventory (TSI), Mental Health Continuum – Short Form (MHC-SF), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and the Fortitude Questionnaire (FORQ). Bivariate correlations, t-test comparisons, cross-tabulations and regression analysis were used to compare the two groups. Different patterns of well-being and distress were found between them. Results showed that although both groups displayed similar levels of positive mental health, the Black group reported significantly higher levels of stress and depression. Teacher stress predicted levels of depression and flourishing among the White teachers but not Black teachers. These findings highlight the race-based differences in psychological well-being. Further research to investigate the mechanisms of the race and well-being relationship in the South African school environment is recommended. Abstract word count = 198word count = 198