What Lies Behind Abusive Teacher Behaviour? First results of an exploratory research study

Abstract

The aim of the research is to examine the characteristics of teacher abuse from the perspective of the offending educators. While school bullying has been widely studied, abuse perpetrated by teachers has received less attention in both international and national research, despite its potentially serious psychological and educational consequences for students. The study involved a systematic review of the literature from both international and domestic educational discourses, following the PRISMA methodology. Based on the analysis of 11 relevant sources, several key factors have been identified, including low self-control, burnout, low self-efficacy, stress, insecure attachment, and an accepting attitude toward violent disciplinary methods. The research also discusses the main relationships between these factors, along with several ethical and methodological considerations in studying this topic.