e-Pedagogium 2025, 25(1):7-21 | DOI: 10.5507/epd.2025.001

Teachers' Experience of Moral Distress: A Qualitative Study

Petra Lajčiakováa, Adriána Strečkováb
a Katedra psychológie FF KU, Hrabovská cesta 1B, 034 01 Ružomberok
b Obchodná akadémia Mareka Frauwirtha, Tajovského 25, 975 73 Banská Bystrica

Moral distress is not absent from the school environment and the likelihood of its occurrence among teachers is very high. The aim of this research is to understand the experience of teachers with moral distress. For this purpose, nine teachers with over ten years of experience were studied. A semi-structured interview method was employed, during which respondents were encouraged to share events related to their specific experience with moral distress. The qualitative data obtained were subsequently analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis, which revealed six key themes: care for the student, objectivity, competencies, class management, teacher authority, and school leadership. These themes contribute to understanding of the school situations that can cause moral distress for teachers. They also aid in the development of supportive strategies in response to various sources of moral distress.

Keywords: moral distress, teachers, teaching profession, professional morally dilemmatic situations

Received: June 27, 2024; Revised: October 18, 2024; Accepted: January 14, 2025; Prepublished online: January 14, 2025; Published: August 18, 2025  Show citation

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Lajčiaková, P., & Strečková, A. (2025). Teachers' Experience of Moral Distress: A Qualitative Study. e-Pedagogium, 25(1), 7-21. doi: 10.5507/epd.2025.001
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