Cognitive flexibility moderates teacher stress, shows study

As part of their work, educators are often exposed to a variety of stressful events, including violence between students and teachers, sexual assault and suicidal behavior, and the death and illness of students and their families.

Work-related stressful events may increase the risk of developing symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among first responders (soldiers, firefighters, police officers, etc.) and mental health professionals Studies show that there is, but only a few studies. They investigated the effects of stress exposure on school teachers.

In general, one of the main consequences of daily exposure to stressful events is the development of symptoms such as unwanted memory, avoidance, sleep and concentration difficulties, negative beliefs about the world, and mood swings. These symptoms can have a decisive impact on a teacher’s level of functioning and physical and mental health, making it difficult for teachers to cope with students, parents and other staff. This may be reflected in teachers’ frequent absence from school, difficulty in maintaining concentration during class, impatience with students and their needs, and difficulty in dealing with minor deviations from routine. there is.

A series of studies led by Professor Einat Levy-Zigi, a psychologist and neuroscientist at the Faculty of Education, Bar-Ilan University, is an important tool to help cope with the consequences of constant stress on cognitive flexibility. indicates that Cognitive flexibility describes the ability to update beliefs, perceptions, and behaviors according to the demands of changing reality.

In the context of a school environment, this can be expressed, among other things, in the ability to change teaching methods according to the needs of students and to provide content that may be of interest to different groups at different times. Or knowing when to act tough, when to be softer and more compassionate, when to speak up, and when to maintain self-control.

Previous research in first responders has similarly shown that cognitive flexibility helps protect against the negative effects of stress and trauma exposure, enabling optimal functioning even when realities are challenging and complex. It turned out to be possible.

In a recently published study, scientific reportA research team led by Levi-Gigi and her partners Orry Harrell and Ara Hemmi found that exposure to stress in the school environment and cognitive behavioral changes in predisposition to develop post-traumatic symptoms among educational staff and faculty members. The interaction of flexibility is investigated for the first time.

150 educators (85% female, 15% male, average age 43 years, average teaching experience 13 years) volunteered to participate in this study to assess stress exposure, cognitive flexibility, and psychological stress. I received Coping capacity and level of post-traumatic symptoms.

Analysis of the data showed that teachers were indeed exposed to high levels of stress at work and that these events led to the development of post-traumatic symptoms. At the same time, there was wide variability in the level of symptoms, with some teachers showing low or moderate levels and others showing high levels.

A follow-up analysis showed that cognitive flexibility moderated the relationship between exposure to school-related stress and severity of post-traumatic symptoms, and thus could explain this variability. Thus, we found a clear positive relationship between continued exposure to stress and increased post-traumatic symptoms among teachers with low cognitive flexibility.

On the other hand, no similar relationship was found among teachers with high cognitive flexibility. This group maintained low levels of symptoms regardless of the number of stressful events experienced. These findings are consistent with results from similar studies conducted with first responders.

This result highlights the importance of cognitive flexibility as a protective factor against the negative effects of exposure to stress within the school framework. Recognizing the important role of cognitive flexibility as a protective factor for educators, researchers say, can improve teacher well-being and develop adaptive coping strategies that enable optimal functioning in schools. This could be a breakthrough in doing so.

A follow-up study conducted at the Institute for Trauma Coping and Growth, led by Professor Levi Gigi, found that an intervention combining artificial intelligence and cognitive exercise significantly improved cognitive flexibility, resulting in significant relief of a range of symptoms and improved daily functioning. It has been shown that it can lead to improvement. People who experience stress as part of their daily lives.