TITLE:
Interpersonal Communication Conflict and its Relation to Experienced Anxiety and the Work Environment among Primary School Teachers
AUTHORS:
Spyridoula G. Kostara, Panagiota Roidi, Konstantina Koutrouba, Eleni Zenakou
KEYWORDS:
Interpersonal Relationships, Conflictual Communication, Collaborative Communication, Anxiety, Work Environment, Primary School Teachers
JOURNAL NAME:
Psychology,
Vol.16 No.10,
October
31,
2025
ABSTRACT: Interpersonal conflicts are inherent to human relationships and are often associated with elevated stress levels. In the school workplace, communication marked by conflict, especially under pressure, may undermine organizational performance and quality, as well as teachers’ safety, satisfaction, and collegial relationships. The aim of this study was to examine the association between conflictual interpersonal communication and stress and distress (stress/anxiety experiences and dysphoric situations) in the workplace among primary education teachers in Greece (PE70 specialty), and to assess differences by years of service and sector of employment. Participants were 248 primary school teachers who completed a self-report questionnaire. Findings indicated that non-conflictual (collaborative) communication was negatively associated with stress and distress (stress/anxiety experiences and dysphoric situations) in the school environment. Moreover, teachers with 11 - 20 years of experience perceived interpersonal communication as more conflictual and reported higher stress, while elevated stress levels were also observed among teachers employed in the private sector. These findings highlight the need for interventions that strengthen collaborative communication skills to reduce stress and support teacher well-being and the functioning of school organizations.