The purpose of the proposed study is investigate the effects work- related stressors exert on depressive and psychophysiologic symptoms, health behavior (e.g., smoking), and morale in beginning teachers. It is important to examine new teachers with controls on preemployment health because (1) such a framework provides an especially apt context within which to minimize bias; (2) new workers are a relatively unstudied in the occupational stress literature; (3) the research affords an opportunity to study the formation of social support from coworkers, a potential health factor; (4) the investigation is designed to uncover preventable factors that affect teachers. The proposed design comprises a longitudinal study of three graduating cohorts (classes of 1988, 1989, and 1990). Teachers and nonteacher comparison subjects respond to questionnaires before entry into the workforce and again several times after they have joined the workforce. The 1988 cohort will be followed six years, the 1989 cohort, five years, and the 1990 cohort, three years. The questionnaires comprise instruments of established validity. The ordinary least squares regression analyses will be used in (1) between group (teacher vs. comparison subjects) analyses which assess the effects of assuming the teaching role and (2) within group analyses which assess the effects of job stressor (from self-reports and external documents) as well as the direct or buffering effects of resources. Structural equation L1SREL analyses will be developed to model the influence of job-related stressors on outcome. Supplementary analyses involving external measures of the work environment will also be undertaken.
