Clearly the individual factors identified in this study need to be examined within the
wider context of a ‘transactional model’ where the interplay between these factors;
environmental, and intrinsic job factors can be tested. Individual characteristics and
their relationship to individual differences in the perception of stress have been
examined in this questionnaire-based study, but future research is needed. This could
involve testing whether individuals exposed to the same working conditions in the
teaching profession all suffer stress to a similar extent, or whether these individual
characteristics can help explain why some individuals are clearly more susceptible to
stress than others. There is a need for a systematic nationwide study identifying and
exploring a broader range of individual contributory factors, also measuring
environmental and intrinsic job features.