Job Stress, School Support, and Occupational Happiness among Mainstream Teachers in Inclusive Education: A Mixed Methods Study from China

Abstract

Teachers' occupational well-being plays a critical role in the successful and sustainable implementation of inclusive education. Yet mainstream teachers who are responsible for teaching students with special educational needs (SEN) often face heavier workloads, more complex instructional demands, and insufficient institutional support, all of which may undermine their professional well-being. This study examined differences in occupational happiness, job stress, and perceived school support between teachers with and without SEN teaching responsibilities in mainstream schools, and explored the factors shaping teachers' occupational well-being in inclusive education. A convergent mixed methods design was employed. Quantitative data were collected from 405 in-service primary and secondary school teachers in Chengdu, China, using the Teacher Work Happiness Questionnaire (TWH-Q); the sample comprised 202 teachers with and 203 teachers without SEN teaching responsibilities. Independent-samples t-tests were used to compare the two groups, and semi-structured interviews with 10 teachers were analysed using thematic analysis. Teachers with SEN teaching responsibilities reported significantly lower occupational happiness and perceived school support, but significantly higher job stress, than teachers without such responsibilities (p < .001). The qualitative findings indicated that increased workload, insufficient professional training, limited educational resources, and inadequate institutional support were the main factors influencing teachers' occupational well-being. These findings underscore the importance of strengthening school-based support systems, expanding professional development, and addressing workload pressures to enhance teacher well-being and promote the sustainable development of inclusive education in China.