The relationship between perceived school stress and satisfaction with life among Norwegian school-based adolescents and the moderating role of perceived teacher care: a cross-sectional study

Background: Perceived stress from schoolwork and perceived teacher care are shown to influence adolescents' life satisfaction. However, there is a need to further explore how levels of perceived school stress affect life satisfaction of Norwegian adolescents across gender and school levels using nationwide data, and whether this association is moderated by perceived teacher care. Hence, this paper sought to: (1) describe perceived school stress, perceived teacher care and satisfaction with life in Norwegian adolescents stratified by gender and school level, (2) examine the association between perceived school stress and satisfaction with life by testing perceived teacher care as a possible moderator and (3) explore the association between perceived teacher care and adolescents' satisfaction with life.

Methods: We utilized cross-sectional data from the Norwegian Ungdata Survey from 2021, encompassing adolescents from lower and upper secondary school. Two-thirds of all Norwegian adolescents participated in the Ungdata Survey from 2021. All data is anonymous. The study variables are presented according to lower and upper secondary school as well as gender. Linear regressions were conducted and adjusted for socioeconomic status (SES) by using SPSS.

Results: In total, 139,841 adolescents were included. Girls exhibited higher perceived school stress, lower perceived teacher care, and lower life satisfaction than boys in both lower and secondary school (all p < 0.01). Strong inverse associations on satisfaction with life were found in both genders in lower and upper secondary school among those who reported very frequent perceived school stress, with perceived teacher care moderating the relationship (B= -0.67; 95% CI [-0.70 to -0.65], P < 0.01]). Moreover, robust associations were unveiled between high and low levels of perceived teacher care and life satisfaction across gender and school level.

Conclusions: Higher perceived school stress was strongly inversely associated with life satisfaction in Norwegian adolescents, in both girls and boys, and in both lower and secondary school. Teacher care was identified as a moderator and seems to play a crucial part in the everyday life of Norwegian adolescents. These implications extend to teacher education, practice, and policy, which should be aware of the pivotal role of perceived teacher care on Norwegian school-based adolescents' life satisfaction.