Work-Related Health Factors in General and Special Education Teachers

This cross-sectional study aims to compare work-related health outcomes between general education teachers and special education teachers. The study will assess burnout, occupational balance, perceived stress, musculoskeletal symptoms, pain characteristics, and general job satisfaction. Participants will complete an online questionnaire including sociodemographic and occupational characteristics, such as age, sex, teaching experience, working hours, and type of teaching assignment. Standardized self-report measures will be used to evaluate burnout, occupational balance, perceived stress, musculoskeletal symptoms, and pain-related characteristics. The study will examine whether teachers working in special education differ from general education teachers in terms of burnout, stress, occupational balance, musculoskeletal problems, and pain. The findings may help identify occupational health needs among teachers and support the development of preventive strategies for improving their well-being and working conditions.

Inclusion Criteria: * Aged 18 years or older. * Currently employed as a general education teacher or special education teacher. * Actively working in a school or educational institution at the time of data collection. * Able to read and understand Turkish. * Able and willing to provide informed consent and complete the online questionnaire. Exclusion Criteria: * Not currently working as a teacher during the data collection period (e.g., on leave, retired, or not actively employed). * Working in an administrative position only, without active teaching responsibilities. * Incomplete questionnaire responses that prevent calculation of the main outcome measures.