The rate of depression, anxiety and stress experienced by Australia’s teaching workforce is three times the national norm, new research shows.
More than two-thirds (68.8%) of teachers surveyed by researchers from UNSW Sydney described their workload as “largely or completely unmanageable”, with a staggering 90% reporting “severe stress”.
Meanwhile, more than two-thirds of teachers are experiencing “moderate to extremely severe” symptoms of depression and anxiety. According to the study, the figures for depression and anxiety alone are more than double the national averages.
‘This is not just a wellbeing issue – it’s a workforce issue’
The UNSW Sydney study, which surveyed 5,000 primary and secondary school teachers across the country between 2022 and 2024, is the first to examine rates of depression, anxiety and stress of Australian teachers, offering critical insights for education policymakers at a time when the profession is at breaking point.
“This is not just a wellbeing issue – it’s a workforce issue,” lead researcher Dr Helena Granziera, from the School of Education at UNSW’s Faculty of Arts, Design & Architecture, said.
“Our findings show that teachers are experiencing mental health symptoms at rates far above the general population, and that these symptoms are closely linked to their workload and intentions to leave the profession.”
Unsurprisingly, teachers’ ability to manage workloads was identified as a key factor influencing their mental health. Those who reported their workload as unmanageable were significantly more likely to experience depressive symptoms, which in turn were strongly associated with their intentions to leave the profession.
“Teachers are telling us they’re overwhelmed – not by teaching itself, but by the growing burden of non-core tasks,” Dr Granziera.
“Administrative duties, compliance requirements, and excessive data collection are taking time away from lesson planning and student engagement. This is leading to burnout and a sense of professional disillusionment.”
Dr Granziera said the new research provides clear evidence that improving teachers’ working conditions is not just beneficial, but essential.
“If we want to retain skilled educators and ensure quality education for all students, we must address the root causes of teacher stress and mental health decline,” she said.
‘The implications extend far beyond the classroom’
The study’s authors are calling for a “multi-pronged approach” to support teachers’ wellbeing, including targeted policy reforms to cut non-essential admin, school-level monitoring of wellbeing and workload, investment in flexible, educator-specific digital mental-health supports, and system-wide measures to lift teacher retention and curb burnout.
Dr Granziera said the implications of the study’s findings extend far beyond the classroom, noting that poor teacher mental health has been linked to lower student achievement, reduced classroom quality, and diminished student wellbeing.
“Teachers’ mental health is intricately related to students’ outcomes, both in terms of students’ mental health themselves, but also students’ academic achievement,” Dr Granziera said.
“It’s clear improving teacher wellbeing should be a priority of policy makers not just for teachers but for our education system as a whole.”