The Role of Ethical Climate on Teachers' Well-Being: relationship with psychophysical well-being and general health

Ivan Borrelli¹Giacomo Angelini²PAOLO EMILIO SANTORO¹Maria Francesca Rossi^1*Maria Rosaria Gualano³Umberto Moscato¹Caterina Fiorilli²

• ¹Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Rome, Italy
• ²Libera Università Maria SS. Assunta, Rome, Lazio, Italy
• ³Saint Camillus International University of Health and Medical Sciences, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Introduction: Previous studies have highlighted that the dissonance between workplace and personal ethics can lead to poorer mental health for employees. However, studies addressing the relationship between teachers' well-being and workplace ethics are scarce. This study aims to investigate the relationship between ethical climate and mental and physical health outcomes in teachers. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 255 Italian teachers (88.63% female; mean age = 47.09 years). The study assessed the relationships among workplace ethics, general and mental health, and daytime sleepiness by descriptive analysis and multiple logistic regression models. Results: The study involved 255 Italian teachers recruited from schools of various grades (Female=88.63%; Mean age=47.09; SD=±10.55). Most participants showcased "Good" (50.59%) or "Excellent" (42.75%) workplace ethics; 30.79% of participants reported anxiety, 27.06% depression, and 24.31% stress. Only 7.84% of participants scored over the cut-off for the general health questionnaire, and 26.67% reported daytime sleepiness. Using the logistic regression models, a significant correlation for workplace ethics was detected with the DASS-21 stress (p=0.002) and depression (p=0.011) subscales. Conclusions: The ethical climate in educational settings influences teachers' mental health, particularly by reducing stress and depression. Enhancing the ethical environment in educational organizations could improve teacher well-being.