Causes and Effects of Occupational Fatigue Among Special Education Teachers

Year 2024, Volume: 5 Issue: 1, 73 - 97, 19.05.2024

Özge Yücel , Taner Atmaca

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.11233749

Abstract

This study explores the multifaceted nature of occupational fatigue among special education teachers, highlighting its manifestation through low performance, lack of motivation, emotional exhaustion, and a sense of monotony. In the research, phenomenology design within qualitative methodology was utilised. The study group consists of a total of 10 special education teachers working in 7 different schools in the provincial centre of Düzce, who were determined by convenient sampling technique. In the study, data were collected face-to-face with a semi-structured interview form in the autumn term of the 2023-2024 academic year. Content analysis was used to analyse the data. As a result of the analysis, a total of three main themes were identified. These themes are "Definition and Symptoms of Occupational Fatigue", "Causes and Sources of Occupational Fatigue" and "Occupational and Personal Effects of Occupational Fatigue". According to the findings, special education teachers experience professional fatigue due to difficult conditions in schools, excessive workload, and low learning speed of students. Occupational fatigue has a negative impact on the physical and mental health of special education teachers. In order to overcome this kind of fatigue, strategies such as resting, engaging in various hobbies, and orienting towards professional development are preferred. The findings of the research show that this situation has the potential to lead to more negative results if the professional fatigue of special education teachers is not eliminated.

Keywords

Occupational fatigue, special education, teacher burnout

Ethical Statement

The ethics application for the study was made on 23/11/2023 and the research was carried out with the approval of Düzce University Ethics Commission dated 23/11/2023 and numbered 2023/369.

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