Stress in the Margins: A Mixed-Method Exploration of Teacher Anxiety and Mental Well-Being amid Student Examination Sessions
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Teacher mental health has emerged as a pressing global concern, yet the specific psychological burden experienced by educators during student examination periods remains insufficiently examined. This study employed a concurrent mixed-method design to investigate the nature, intensity, and determinants of teacher anxiety and mental well-being during student examination sessions across secondary and tertiary educational institutions. Quantitative data were collected from 312 educators using validated instruments: the generalised anxiety disorder-7 (GAD-7) scale, the Warwick-Edinburgh mental well-being s(WEMWBS), and the Maslach burnout inventory-educators survey (MBI-ES); qualitative data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with a purposive sub-sample of 28 participants. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses, including MANOVA and structural equation modelling (SEM), were performed on quantitative data, while thematic analysis guided the qualitative strand. Findings revealed that approximately 63.8% of teachers reported elevated anxiety levels during examination periods, with female educators and those in under-resourced schools reporting significantly higher distress. Three overarching qualitative themes emerged: (a) the paradox of vicarious accountability, (b) institutional invisibility of teacher distress, and (c) examination season as a psychological inflexion point. Integrating both strands, the study identified administrative pressure, student performance expectations, poor collegial support, and inadequate mental health infrastructure as primary drivers of teacher psychological strain during examinations. The findings underscore the urgent need for institutional mental health policies, targeted support systems, and systemic reforms that recognise and address the hidden toll of examination culture on educators. The implications for school psychology, educational policy, and teacher welfare are discussed.
Author: Otu, William
Institution: Accra College of Education
Language: English
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7218005222