Teachers’ perceived stressors and stress from Instagram use

Many teachers use social media for professional purposes, but the impact of these activities on their well-being is underexplored. In this study, we developed four scales to assess stressors from teachers’ Instagram use and examined their relationship to Instagram-related stress among 304 teachers. Structural equation modeling revealed that information overload, social comparison, and procrastination are associated with teacher stress. Passive Instagram use (e.g. seeking information) was related to more social comparison and procrastination, while active use (e.g. sharing information) was associated with less social comparison. Our findings contribute to understanding potential side effects of teachers’ job-related social media use. Moreover, this study adds quantitative insights into how social media affects teacher stress, informing educators and policymakers alike.