Psychological distress and interpersonal relationships among special education teachers

Objectives: The present study was conducted to find relationship between psychological distress and interpersonal relationships among special education teachers of government and private special education schools and to examine difference between them. Methodology: A sample of 100 female special education teachers with the age range of 21-60 years was taken from two government special education schools (n=50) and two private special education schools (n=50). These were from Amin Maktab Centre for Special Education & Training Lahore, Govt. Central Deaf & Defective High School Lahore, Govt. Secondary School of Special Education for Hearing Impaired Boys, Lahore and Shalimar Special Education Centre for HIC, Lahore, Pakistan.We included females with qualification of Bachelors plus special education teaching diploma or Masters in special education and with at least one year experience of special education teaching. Cross sectional research design was used and research duration was almost 8 months. Demographic form, Kessler's Psychological Distress Scale (K10) and Relationship Scale Questionnaire (RSQ) were administered for data collection. For data analysis correlation, regression and t-Test were computes with SPSS. Results: There was significant positive correlation between psychological distress and three factors of interpersonal relationships e.g. fearful interpersonal relationships, preoccupied interpersonal relationships and dismissing interpersonal relationships and negative and not significant relationship between psychological distress and remaining one factor of interpersonal relationship e.g. secure interpersonal relationships. Level of psychological distress was found more in private teachers. Both government and private teachers perceived interpersonal relationships equally. Conclusion: Psychological distress and interpersonal relationships had significant relationship in special education teachers. Specific counseling strategies could be designed to deal with their core psychological and social issues.