Teacher Occupational Wellbeing Research 2026
Key Findings 2025-2026
Teaching is a highly relational and emotionally demanding profession which places teachers at increased risk of stress and burnout. This mixed-methods* study examines burnout among primary and secondary level school teachers in Northern Ireland, drawing on data from over 600 participants. It constitutes Phase Two of the DCU CREATE Educator Occupational Wellbeing series.
*In this study, a burnout measure (The Copenhagen Burnout Inventory) was used alongside a researcher-designed questionnaire and semi-structured interviews
91% - Teachers reporting moderate to high levels of personal burnout
91% - Teachers reporting moderate to high level work-related burnout
45% - Teachers reporting mild to moderate level student-related burnout
95% - Teachers reporting workload as a contributor to burnout
59% - Teachers reporting unrealistic parental expectation as a contributor to burnout
43% - Teachers reporting the structure of work/organisational issues as a contributor to burnout
47% - Teachers reporting unrealistic expectations from the school as a contributor to burnout
46% - Teachers reporting the challenges of working with pupils with Special Education Needs (SEN) as a contributor to burnout
25% - Teachers reporting broader school culture as contributing to burnout
27% - Teachers reporting that issues related to classroom management contribute to burnout
25% - Teachers reporting that physical work conditions or environment are a contributing factor to burnout
22% - Teachers reporting that lack of collegiality with colleagues is a contributing factor to burnout
Mental Health of Teaching Staff
Self-Report of Mental Health
7%: Very Poor
25%: Poor
38%: Average
25%: Good
5%: Excellent
Impact on Teaching and Learning
16% of teachers who reported poor/very poor mental health also feel that this has negatively influenced their ability to engage in teaching and learning with pupils.
18% of teachers indicated a low sense of personal accomplishment.
23% of participants indicated they had received some training on caring for their mental health and wellbeing as a teacher.
46% of teachers indicated they don’t anticipate remaining in the profession long term.
Protective Factors for Teachers
In this study, teachers were asked to identify the ‘protective factors’ that support their experience of wellbeing in the workplace. Their responses are compiled under five broad interconnecting themes.
Protective Factors
Peer Connection
Leadership Support
Recovery Capacity
Teacher Agency
Workload Protection
PDF Version of the Executive Summary Phase Two »
This Executive Report has been jointly prepared by the DCU CREATE Educator Occupational Wellbeing Research Team:
Dr Sabrina Fitzsimons, Dr Pia O’Farrell, and Professor Catherine Furlong
DCU Centre for Collaborative Research Across Teacher Education
Institute of Education, Dublin City University
E: create@dcu.ie W: dcu.ie/create