The aim of this study was to explore the differences
between the two cultural groups of Jewish and Arab
teachers on several variables and to analyse their
link to stress. Specifically, I examined sense of
coherence (SOC), sense of school community and
job satisfaction among regular Jewish and Arab
teachers in regular schools and classes who have
special education students in their classes. Furthermore,
I investigated how the different coping
resources – SOC and sense of school community –
explain the stress reactions of state anxiety and
state anger directly and indirectly via job satisfaction
and also the direct prediction of stress by job
satisfaction.
Data were gathered from 634 Jewish and Arab
teachers (80% Jews) who completed self-report
questionnaires that measured SOC, sense of community,
employee satisfaction inventory, state
anxiety and state anger.
Differences in SOC and sense of school community
were found between the two groups such that Jews
reported stronger SOC, and Arabs reported stronger
sense of school community. Further differences
were revealed in the links of the different coping
resources to stress reactions. The results are discussed
against the backdrop of cultural background
and the salutogenic model.