Teaching perceptions and professional life of teachers diagnosed with a psychiatric disease

The present study aimed to examine teaching profession perceptions of teachers diagnosed with a psychiatric illness, their experiences at school, their relationships with colleagues, school administrators and students, and to investigate whether the current psychological illness has an effect on these relationships and educational processes. Qualitative methodology was adopted and phenomenology design, unbiased phenomenology technique were preferred. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven teachers who were selected by purposive sampling method and who experienced this phenomenon. The data obtained from these interviews were analyzed with a thematic coding approach and presented with direct quotations. According to the research findings, the participants' perceptions of teaching varied and their teaching experiences were partially affected by the disorder. It was observed that teachers were concerned about stigmatization. Their relationships with school administrators negatively affected their psychological disorders. While their relationships with their students were generally positive, the teachers in the study group preferred to limit their communication with their students during periods when the symptoms of the illness worsened. It was determined that their psychological disorders negatively affected their teaching processes by creating difficulty in focusing. In order to minimize the negativities experienced by these teachers, it was suggested that policy makers should make arrangements to strengthen the prestige of the teaching profession, facilitate teachers' access to psychotherapy; teachers should improve their relationships with their students, which seems to increase professional satisfaction; and researchers should make suggestions for future studies. Keywords: psychiatry, illness, teacher, student, administrator