Effects of Individualised and General Self-Regulation Online Training on Teachers’ Self-Regulation, Well-Being, and Stress

Abstract

Teachers face numerous demands in their daily work which can lead to stress and a decline in well-being. This is evidenced by research highlighting prevalent issues such as cognitive strain, exhaustion, and mental health concerns. While interventions exist to address these challenges, they are often time consuming and resource intensive. Therefore, our study aims to investigate the effects of a brief individualised versus general self-regulation online training on (pre-service) teachers’ self-regulation competence, well-being, and stress levels. Self-regulation competence was assessed at three timepoints using the MSR-T. Trainee teachers and teachers were assigned to either individualised self-regulation training, general self-regulation training, or a waitlist control group. In addition to self-regulation competence, well-being was measured using the WHO-5 Well-Being Index, general stress was assessed using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) and occupational stress was measured using the Occupational Stress Scale. Mixed ANOVA and linear regression analyses demonstrated that self-regulation could be fostered through our individualised training and that (trainee) teachers with low baseline competencies, in particular, benefited from the training. Facets of self-regulation were identified as significant predictors of well-being and general as well as occupational stress.