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The Teachers’ Occupational Wellbeing Study

The Teachers’ Occupational Wellbeing Study is an ongoing follow-up study involving teachers across a variety of regional and educational contexts in Finland.

Latest key findings from the study (In Finnish, English version on the way)

Information on the demographic representativeness of the results (In Finnish, English version on the way)

More detailed findings will appear in scholarly publications.

Study Aim

The study examines the development of teachers’ occupational wellbeing and the factors influencing it using a comprehensive survey questionnaire. Attention is also given to demographic aspects, such as regional differences and variation across educational levels. The data, collected biannually, allows for the examination of both general trends (cross-sectional data) and individual-level changes over time (longitudinal study).

Research Data

The study began in spring 2020, with data collected biannually since then. The collection of longitudinal data started in spring 2024. The survey data has been gathered in close collaboration with the Trade Union of Education in Finland (OAJ), and the dataset consists of responses from its members.

Number of survey respondents by time point:

  • Spring 2020: 1 182 participants
  • Autumn 2020: 1 502 participants
  • Spring 2021: 1 336 participants
  • Autumn 2021: 1 046 participants
  • Spring 2022: 476 participants
  • Autumn 2022: 687 participants
  • Spring 2023: 1 628 participants
  • Autumn 2023: 1 396 participants
  • Spring 2024: 1 488 participants
  • Autumn 2024: 1 821 participants

Digital Object Identifier (DOI) for the Teachers’ Occupational Wellbeing Study.

Funding

This research has been funded by the Strategic Research Council (2021-2024) and by the Research Council of Finland (2024-)

The study is led by Academy Professor Katariina Salmela-Aro. For inquiries, please contact University Lecturer Lauri Hietajärvi and Postdoctoral Researcher Olli-Pekka Heinimäki

Publications

Heinimäki, O.-P., Melkko, S., Vinni-Laakso, J. & Hietajärvi, L. (2024). Opettajien työhyvin­vointikysely valottaa opettajien työhyvinvoinnin kehitystä. Blogi, OAJ, 9.2.2024.

Heinimäki, O.-P., Upadyaya, K., Salmela-Aro, K. & Hiroyuki, T. (2024). Satisfied or frustrated? A latent profile analysis of teachers’ basic psychological needs fulfilment. Paperiesitys International Conference on Motivation & Emotion 2024 (ICM) -konfe­renssissa, 29.8.2024 Bern, Sveitsi.

Salmela-Aro, K., Upadyaya, K. & Hietajärvi, L. (2021). Rehtorien ja opettajien hyvinvoin­ti koronapandemian aikana. Työn Tuuli, 1, 14–19.

Salmela-Aro, K., Upadyaya, K., Ronkainen, I. & Hietajärvi, L. (2022). Opettajien työn imu ja työuupumus koronapandemian aikana. Kasvatus, 53(5), 498–512.

Salmela-Aro, K. & Lavonen, J. (2024). The switch to distance teaching and learning in Finland during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020–2022) went technically well but was emotionally challenging. Teoksessa F. Reimers (toim.), Schools and society during the COVID-19 pandemic: How education systems changed and the road ahead (s. 63–85). Springer.

Salmela-Aro, K., Upadyaya, K. & Hietajärvi, L. (2020). Suomalaisten rehtoreiden ja opet­tajien työhyvinvointiprofiilit koronakeväänä. Psykologia, 55(6), 426–449.

Upadyaya, K., Heinimäki, O-P., Pöysä, S., Hietajärvi, L., & Salmela-Aro, K. (painossa). Opettajien työhyvinvointi ja siitä huolehtiminen. Teoksessa M-K. Lerkkanen, K. Salmela-Aro, & M. Vauras (toim.), Koulun resilienssi (s. 190-215). Santalahti.