DEPRESSION IN TEACHERS: IMPACTS ON PEDAGOGICAL PRACTICES AND ON SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE

Abstract

Depression among teachers has emerged as a relevant challenge in the school context, as it affects educators’ well-being and interferes with planning, teaching practices, assessment, classroom management, teacher-student relationships, and the overall institutional climate. This study aimed to analyze how depression in teachers, within the context of school Social Work, affects pedagogical practices and the dynamics of educational work. It is justified by the need to understand mental distress as a phenomenon connected to working conditions and the demands of everyday school life, considering that psychological suffering can compromise the quality of teaching and the sustainability of educational relationships. Methodologically, a bibliographic study was conducted through a literature review, using scientific publications related to teachers’ mental health, the pedagogical repercussions of distress, and prevention and coping strategies articulated by Social Work and school management. It is concluded that teacher depression produces significant repercussions on the teaching-learning process and on school relationships, reinforcing the importance of institutional and intersectoral actions of welcoming support, referral, and workplace health promotion, with a strategic role for Social Work in strengthening protection networks and care practices in the educational environment.