Belastungsfaktoren und Bewältigungsstrategien in einer Sonderschule in der Deutschschweiz

This master's thesis examines specific stress factors and coping strategies of social pedagogues working at a special education school in Central Switzerland. The aim of this study is to identify which situations and aspects are perceived as stressful in their professional everyday life and how they deal with such stress. The analysis of the conducted interviews is theoretically based on the stress model developed by Lazarus and Folkman.

Within the framework of qualitative research, five social pedagogues from the selected special education school were interviewed using a semi-structured interview guide. All interviews were analyzed using Mayring's qualitative content analysis. The findings indicate that student behavior is not perceived as a central stress factor by the interviewed professionals. Instead, institutional conditions, staff changes, unclear communication, individual expectations, and team dynamics are identified as key sources of stress. The comparison of interviews reveals three main patterns: first, the structural conditions of the institution; second, a tension between personal expectations and inner role conflicts; and third, specific needs and suggestions for institutional support.

The results show that similar work-related stressors are perceived and experienced differently by individuals. They also offer concrete suggestions for health-promoting measures at the organizational level and highlight the importance of emotional reflection and structural relief in the social pedagogical field. In this context, health promotion is not viewed as a means of increasing productivity, but as an expression of institutional responsibility and professional conduct.