Dimensions of the Teacher’s Psychological and Social Training: A Theoretical Conception

https://doi-001.org/1025/17664715966373

Safouane BENCHETIOUI

PhD in Educational Psychology, University of Ghardaïa (Algeria).

Email : Saf1.hmd@gmail.com

Received: 12/05/2025  ;  Accepted: 23/10/2025

Abstract:

This article examines the dimensions of the teacher’s Psychological and Social Training, with the aim of formulating an integrated, multi-level theoretical proposal. It adopts a descriptive–analytical approach within a Conceptual–Synthetic Model. The model is grounded in Two Core Axes, organized across four Organizational / Classificatory Levels. It does not propose an assessment instrument or a tool for measuring competencies, nor does it seek to establish causal relationships between the classification of levels and the effectiveness of the components of the Psychological Dimension and the Social Dimension. Rather, it is limited to organizing the knowledge presented and facilitating its reception, without generalization or the proposal of evaluative criteria for trainees. This model also offers Future Research Perspectives for deriving Training Programs, designing Diagnostic Tools, and conducting Field-based Studies / Empirical Testing in support of developing Training Policies before and during service.

Keywords: Psychological and Social Training; teacher; Professional Self; learners; parents; Work Environment.

1. Introduction

The weight of educational programs is increasing in many countries worldwide, with the aim of enhancing the competence of their children and citizens. This places teachers under multiple pressures—such as completing the curriculum and achieving good results. According to a report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, curricula may expand due to changing social demands, the influence of pressure groups, or adherence to what has traditionally been taught, thereby imposing additional burdens on both curricula and teachers (OECD, 2020, p. 11).

However, what is observable in most Training Programs is that attention tends to focus on one aspect at the expense of another with regard to the training needs of education professionals. According to Kulikova (2012), Russian studies indicate that teacher training programs emphasize applied subjects more than psychological–pedagogical dimensions, which leads to a weak acquisition of the skills necessary for classroom management among future teachers. Schonert-Reichl (2017, p. 138) likewise notes that teachers’ roles in promoting social and emotional learning—as well as their own social and emotional competence and well-being—have received only limited attention, despite the fact that teachers are leaders and practitioners of social and emotional learning in educational settings.

McKown (as cited in Lozano-Peña et al., 2021) pointed to a substantial gap between the skills teachers need to foster social and emotional learning and what they receive within their academic preparation. In the same vein, McGuire et al. (2024) concluded that general education teachers receive limited pre-service and in-service training with respect to classroom management (CM) and behavior-management strategies.

Many strands of the research literature also indicate the absence of a unified, integrated training approach that encompasses the different factors affecting educational and instructional performance and that is applicable across diverse settings and cultures. In a systematic review on the analysis of teachers’ personal competencies conducted by Molina-Moreno et al., the authors encountered two types of constraints. The first concerned the variability of interventions, which differ substantially in terms of content, methodology, duration, and frequency, depending on the designer and the context in which they are implemented. The second was related to the cultural and geographical contexts in which studies are conducted, given changes in geographical, social, and cultural characteristics factors that may influence both the effectiveness of interventions and the extent to which participants internalize them (Molina-Moreno et al., 2024, p. 10).

Moreover, following the heightened attention to mental health and psychological–social well-being in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the interconnections among education, health, and well-being have become increasingly evident. However, the most prevalent topics in national policies at the intersection of health and education remain largely confined to school nutrition, physical education, and sexuality education, which weakens the presence of social and emotional learning and mental health education in schools. This, in turn, underscores the importance of education in promoting and protecting mental health and psychological–social well-being. Physical and social environments have a substantial impact on the overall learning climate and, consequently, on the health and well-being of both teachers and learners. In this regard, a study on the psychological–social impact of COVID-19 on teachers, teacher educators, and learners as well as on mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) needs in several sub-Saharan African countries reported notable rates of depression, anxiety, and stress among teachers and teacher educators (UNESCO IICBA, 2023).

Farès et al. (2023), in a critical analytical study of the current state of psycho-pedagogical training at Algeria’s Écoles Normales Supérieures (teacher-training colleges), proposed a reconsideration of training policy through the engagement of specialized professional expertise to deliver training in psychology, education sciences, dialectics, and methodologies—away from bureaucratic management of this complex file. This is particularly important given that attention to teacher training in Algeria appears to be comparatively lower than in advanced countries. Harroush (2022) concluded that in-service teacher training plans in Algeria and in Arab countries are less developed than those in Western countries and in some Asian countries. This is reflected in teachers’ psychological well-being: numerous psychological studies have reported a deterioration in teachers’ psychological status, including exposure to psychological stress. Mahdi (2010), for instance, emphasized the need to attend to teachers’ psychological well-being through the provision of periodic psychological assessments.

Based on an analysis of the foregoing literature, it becomes evident that teacher preparation programs tend to emphasize applied aspects more than psychological and pedagogical ones. Moreover, the available training programs are not built on a unified theoretical foundation, which results in substantial variation in content. They are also shaped by diverse geographical and cultural contexts. In addition, they do not sufficiently account for the sequencing and interrelatedness of levels of training needs, wherein each level constitutes a foundation and a preparatory step for the subsequent one. This has highlighted the need for integrated theoretical proposals that enhance teachers’ psychological and social competence in schools.

Based on an analysis of the foregoing literature, it becomes evident from some studies that teacher preparation programs tend to emphasize applied aspects more than psychological and social ones. In addition, some of the available training programs are not grounded in a unified theoretical foundation, which leads to substantial variation in content; they are also shaped by diverse geographical and cultural contexts. Moreover, these programs do not adequately account for the sequencing and interconnectedness of levels of training needs, whereby each level constitutes a foundation and a preparatory step for what follows. This has highlighted the need for integrated theoretical proposals that start from the Professional Self and extend toward the remaining elements of the Circles of Educational Action, thereby contributing to the strengthening of teachers’ psychological and social competence in schools.

The analysis of some national literature also indicates the limited treatment of the multi-level dimensions of teachers’ Psychological and Social Training, despite the reforms that the Algerian education system has undergone.

The significance of this study lies in its engagement with the limited attention given to the psychological and social dimensions of teachers’ training before and during service, particularly in light of the pressing need to address psychological and professional pressures. Its importance is also reflected in the theoretical foundations it offers for developing training programs targeted at other key actors within the educational setting.

This article aims to formulate an integrated, multi-level theoretical proposal for the dimensions of teachers’ Psychological and Social Training. It proceeds from the Professional Self toward others, thereby enriching teachers’ Training Programs and opening possibilities for strengthening the various dimensions of the school climate. Since the article seeks to develop a theoretical proposal, it does not aim to measure / assess; rather, it is offered as a guiding reference for subsequent applied work. Accordingly, its research problem is framed by the following question:

How can a multi-level theoretical proposal be developed for a training program in the psychological and social domain—organized according to the Circles of Educational Action—for teachers in Algerian schools?

2. Conceptual and Methodological Framework

.2.1Defining the Key Concepts and Terms

Definition of Psychological and Social Training

Mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) is defined as “an umbrella term” used in these guidelines to describe any form of local or external support that aims to protect or promote psychological–social well-being and/or to prevent or treat mental disorders (IASC, 2007, p. 16).

Accordingly, Psychological and Social Training in the context of this study may be defined as the training pathway through which the teacher acquires a set of knowledge and skills, through practical mechanisms and techniques, that support their psychological and social well-being and protect them from mental disorders and/or contribute to their treatment.

Psychological Dimension

The IFRC Reference Centre for Psychosocial Support (IFRC, 2023) considers the Psychological Dimension to be related to cognitive and emotional processes, as well as to feelings and reactions.

Accordingly, the teacher’s Psychological Dimension refers to the set of internal processes related to thoughts and emotions and the feelings and reactions that arise from them that influence the teacher’s professional behavior in the educational environment.

The Social Dimension

The IFRC (2023) also indicates that the Social Dimension encompasses social values, relationships, family, local community networks, and cultural practices.

Accordingly, the teacher’s Social Dimension refers to the set of relational processes that regulate the teacher’s interaction and relationships with others. It is manifested in relationship-building, the capacity for communication, the enactment of social roles, and adherence to societal values and norms within the family, the local community, and the school setting.

Training Dimensions

The international report on the results of teaching and learning for 2018 focused on the concept of professionalism and reviewed its various dimensions. In its first volume, it addressed the dimensions of knowledge and skills among teachers and school leaders, considering them lifelong learners (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development [OECD], 2019).

The report cited above highlights the importance of specifying the dimensions of training processes associated with improving teaching in general. Accordingly, the dimensions of the teacher’s Psychological and Social Training may be defined as the core training strands that a training program seeks to build in the teacher’s psychological–social domain, thereby strengthening the teacher’s development in this domain within the school context.

The Four Levels of Psychological and Social Training

The school climate is composed of the elements of the educational process, which are characterized by continuous and interconnected agency: each element influences the others, and they provide reciprocal feedback. Since the teacher the leader of the educational process inside and outside the classroom—is a primary influence on the psychological and social domain, successful management of this domain is directly reflected in the other elements of the educational process, beginning with the learner and extending to parents. As Schonert-Reichl (2017, p. 138) notes, teachers are the driving force behind social and emotional learning (SEL) programs and practices in schools and classrooms. Accordingly, this theoretical proposal delineates four cumulative levels that move from the inside (the teacher’s self) toward the outside (relationships) : learners, parents, and then Colleagues and Work Environment. The teacher’s effective management of these levels is viewed as a pathway through which their influence can extend to others.

By the teacher’s Psychological and Social Training in relation to the self (Professional Self), we mean training concerned with developing the practitioner’s personal knowledge and skills in the psychological and social domain. It is inwardly oriented and works to strengthen the teacher’s internal psychological functioning, on the one hand, and to develop the teacher’s external social (relational) functioning, on the other.

By the teacher’s Psychological and Social Training in relation to learners (Teacher–Student Relationship), we mean the theoretical knowledge and foundational skills that the teacher acquires regarding learners’ psychological and social characteristics, which facilitate effective practice in the school setting.

By the teacher’s Psychological and Social Training in relation to parents (Teacher–Parents Relationship), we mean the theoretical and skill-based foundations with which the teacher is equipped to engage effectively with learners’ parents, thereby involving them effectively in the educational process.

By the teacher’s Psychological and Social Training in relation to Colleagues and Work Environment, we mean the theoretical frameworks and practical skill-based experiences through which the teacher is prepared to ensure positive social adjustment with colleagues and within the work environment.

Operationally, we define the Circles of Educational Action as the core domains in which the teacher practices educational work and within which the teacher interacts in the context of the school climate.

.2.2General Theoretical Foundations of the Proposal (Brief Overview)
 Theoretical Rationale of the Proposal

The model is based on the principle that change begins with the Professional Self, that the inner self both influences and is influenced by the external sphere (the network of school relationships), and that the teacher is a central agent of change.

Nature and Scope of the Proposal

This model is grounded in a conceptual, guiding framework; it is not designed for assessment purposes, nor does it focus on measurable competencies.

The Principle of Progression and the Division of Levels

This model focuses on graduated levels starting from the Professional Self as the foundation for classroom relationships, then the family relationship, and finally the relationship with Colleagues and Work Environment. The model comprises four levels, divided on the basis of the Circles of Educational Action. These levels also function as Organizational / Classificatory Levels for structured presentation, and they do not imply a separation of dimensions in reality. They are as follows:

  • The level of the teacher’s Psychological and Social Training in relation to the self (Professional Self).
  • The level of the teacher’s Psychological and Social Training in the Teacher–Student Relationship.
  • The level of the teacher’s Psychological and Social Training in the Teacher–Parents Relationship.
  • The level of the teacher’s Psychological and Social Training in relation to Colleagues and Work Environment.

Principle of Integration

This model is grounded in the interpenetration between the Psychological Dimension and the Social Dimension.

Principle of Contextuality

This model is grounded in the context of the teaching profession: the classroom, the family, the school, and the local community.

Practical Function of the Proposal

This model is based on the assumption that it can be translated into an applied program, with the possibility of adapting it to other groups within the educational environment.

3.2.Method for Constructing the Theoretical Proposal (Adopted Methodology)

Nature of the Methodology

The study follows a descriptive–analytical approach in developing a program that addresses weaknesses in Psychological and Social Training. It does not fall within the scope of field-based or experimental studies, and it aims to construct a theoretical model rather than to address field-based hypotheses.

Type of Adopted Approach

It also relies on an inferential–synthetic approach: some literature and the content of certain programs were reviewed, and then a coherent theoretical content was reassembled, integrating the dimensions and the Organizational / Classificatory Levels.

Sources for Constructing the Proposal

The content of this model was formulated on the basis of literature that supports the idea of strengthening the content of the proposed training dimensions, in addition to certain sources drawn from the context of practice and training experience namely, a training program for integrated English teachers and the training program for education supervisors. These served as interpretive indications that contributed to refining the idea of the model.

Operational Definition of the Foundational Concepts

Operational definitions were adopted for the model’s foundational concepts in order to maintain conceptual consistency and unified usage. These are represented in the following terms:

  • Psychological and Social Training.
  • Psychological Dimension.
  • Social Dimension.
  • Training dimensions.

Principle for Deriving the Levels

The levels were derived based on the teacher’s domains of educational action, given the nature of the interaction between the teacher and the various elements within these domains an interaction that becomes successful and effective when it starts from a balanced Professional Self. Accordingly, these levels were conceived as expanding outward from the inside toward the remaining elements of educational action. This is a conceptual, theoretical organization rather than a descriptive account drawn from the realities of the educational climate.

Organization of the Dimensions Within the Levels

The construction of this conceptualization is based on four levels. Each level is presented through two dimensions—the Psychological Dimension and the Social Dimension. This division serves a classificatory and organizational purpose and facilitates the reassembly of an integrated, clearly defined content, since its parts cannot be said to be separate in reality. It also enables the training content to be identified more easily in terms of its feasibility for future preparation and implementation.

Construction of the Overall Model

This Conceptual–Synthetic Model was constructed to be multi-level and multi-dimensional; however, in essence, it constitutes a single, interconnected model. Each level serves as a foundation for the next, progressing from the teacher’s Professional Self toward the remaining Circles of Educational Action. The teacher starts from a sound self in relationships and interactions with the student, with parents, and with Colleagues and Work Environment. This is because these circles are highly interconnected and interactive, with each influencing the others. They also integrate with one another, so it is not possible to تصور a coherent school climate without any of these levels, nor to exclude either dimension within any level. This can be illustrated in the following figure:

Figure (1) illustrates the dimensions of Psychological and Social Training.

Source: Prepared by the researcher

Guidelines for Developing the Proposal

Internal consistency was adopted, both between the concepts of the conceptualization and the structure of the levels—by introducing the knowledge at the first level without inappropriate repetition in subsequent ones—and between the program’s training objectives and the proposed content. Consistency was also ensured between the content and each of the two core dimensions (Psychological Dimension and Social Dimension), as well as with the proposed implementation methods.

Methodological Limitations and Perspectives

This approach makes it possible to develop a Conceptual–Synthetic Model through which we organize knowledge directed toward teachers, which qualifies it to serve as a starting point for programs that can be employed in the training of professors and teachers, as well as other actors within the school climate.

3. Presentation of the Multi-Level Theoretical Proposal for Psychological and Social Training

Components of the proposal according to the four levels

Since the proposal is structured into hierarchical levels, with the first level serving as a foundational basis for the subsequent ones, and because the objectives of the later levels are built upon what is acquired in the preceding levels, these objectives will not be restated at each subsequent level in order to avoid repetition. Moreover, the elements of the first level have been arranged in a manner that ensures effective acquisition of theoretical knowledge and practical skills, thereby supporting the remaining components of the proposal.

3.1.Level One: The Teacher’s Professional Self

It refers to training that is linked to developing the practitioner’s own personal knowledge and skills (the teacher), with respect to the Psychological Dimension and the Social Dimension. This training is inward-oriented and seeks, on the one hand, to qualify the internal Psychological Dimension, and on the other hand to qualify what pertains to the external social (relational) aspect of the Social Dimension.

Psychological Dimension

This dimension constitutes the foundational building block upon which the other elements rest, given what the self contains of inner resources and hidden dynamics; it thus becomes a basis for change and success. Accordingly, an individual’s stability, success, and excellence are connected, before anything else, to self-reform. We summarize this dimension in the following elements:

Self-Regulation (Personal Planning). This refers to the stage of personal planning through recognizing the purpose of life and defining personal goals, whose effects are directly reflected in psychological self-control. In a study by Yeager (2014), the findings showed that viewing the purpose of learning as something that goes beyond self-interest and personal gain helps students overcome stress and alternative temptations away from studying; it also makes them more willing to exercise self-control and self-regulation.

Self-regulation, through clarifying purposes and goals, also plays an important role at the psychological level, as it influences individuals’ level of motivation—especially in the professional domain—when the institution’s vision aligns with individuals’ personal vision. According to a study by Berg (2015), leaders attain higher motivation and stronger engagement when their personal goals and purposes are consistent with the institution’s vision, either through an overarching purpose—namely, making the world better according to their own vision and that of the institution—or through their personal goals, by committing to accomplishing their job tasks in order to realize the vision. However, they still separate between their professional ambition and their personal life (Berg, 2015).

Locke also noted that personal goals function as a mediator toward external incentives, referring to what he termed the “motivational hub,” which is based on two elements: personal goals (commitment to them) and self-efficacy. Accordingly, personal goals are among the strongest drivers of behavior, as they are what contribute to striving toward external tasks (Locke & Latham, 2002).

Effective Thinking Skills .It refers to the ability to employ the mind in the best and most efficient ways. This approach was introduced by the physician and psychologist Edward de Bono (2008), who developed an instructional approach based on the idea that thinking is a skill that can be learned. The findings of Kamel and Zubaidi (2025) also confirmed the effectiveness of a training program built on thinking skills (CoRT) in developing systems thinking among educational trainers in the State of Palestine.

Problem-Solving Skill. These refer to the cognitive and behavioral approach through which an individual responds when seeking to find a practical solution, and which contributes to individuals’ psychological support. Bedel’s study (2015) on interpersonal problem solving, positive/negative affect, and anxiety confirmed the existence of a statistically significant relationship between, on the one hand, a negative orientation toward the problem, negative affect, and anxiety, and, on the other hand, constructive problem solving, a persistent–persevering orientation, and positive affect. The study also showed that a negative orientation toward the problem was the strongest predictor among the variables of negative affect and anxiety. Accordingly, the importance of problem-solving skills is underscored in strengthening or weakening the psychological aspect among those working within the educational system.

Stress-Coping Strategies. These refer to how an individual responds to stressful situations in an appropriate manner that preserves psychological and physical balance, within the coping methods they know, which in turn affect both physiological and psychological functioning. Psychological well-being increases as one masters effective skills for adapting to stress. A recent study by Rogerson et al. (2024) confirmed the positive effect of stress-management interventions on cortisol hormone levels; mindfulness, meditation, and relaxation interventions were the most effective in this regard, whereas mind–body therapies and talk-based therapies showed a smaller effect and no statistically significant differences.

In another study, Ji et al. (2024) examined the effectiveness of stress-management interventions among nursing students. The results indicated a positive impact of stress-coping strategies in reducing psychological stress, in light of mediating factors such as the type of intervention, the mode of delivery, the duration of the intervention (in weeks), and the number of sessions. The greatest effects were observed for mind–body programs, face-to-face training methods, programs lasting 9–12 weeks, and those consisting of 15–30 sessions. Improvements were also achieved at the physiological level, as heart rate, blood pressure indicators, and cortisol levels decreased markedly.

Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR). This is a technique in which muscles are deliberately relaxed in gradual, step-by-step stages. It contributes to reducing tension and enhancing self-control. Khir et al. (2024), in a review of forty-six (46) publications from sixteen (16) countries involving more than 3,402 adults, reported findings showing the effectiveness of Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) in reducing psychological stress, anxiety, and depression among adults. The review also indicated that its effectiveness increases when combined with other interventions.

Relaxation Breathing. Also known as deep breathing and diaphragmatic breathing, and referred to by some practitioners as “infant breathing.” It involves training to inhale air through the nose into the chest with a brief pause, followed by a longue exhalation.

Guided Imagery. Also known as positive suggestion. In this technique, positive thoughts are directed toward the mind, and the client works on imagining their meanings as if they were being realized in reality. With training, the individual becomes able to practice it independently in different situations and contexts.

In an experimental study focusing on the three preceding techniques, Toussaint et al. (2021), conducted with 60 university students, found that Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR), deep breathing, and guided imagery all increased participants’ sense of comfort. The experimental results supported a body of research indicating that relaxation-from-stress training can be effective in improving comfort at both the psychological and physiological levels.

Social Dimension

This is the second component within the personal aspect in which the teacher must be trained. It concerns everything that falls within an individual’s adjustment with others—after successfully achieving adjustment with the self—through establishing a program of the most important theoretical inputs and behavioral practices that can contribute to this, with the least possible effort and time. We have deemed it appropriate to present the most important of these as follows:

Leadership. Leadership is defined as the art of mobilizing others toward a goal. Thus, after the educational practitioner learns to lead the self, they must engage in training and development in leadership, through its two core components: being an effective team member alongside others in moving toward the goal, and being an exceptional leader when leadership situations call for it. Such situations grant the individual confidence and psychological stability. A study by Mohammed et al. (2022) showed the existence of a correlational relationship between leadership personality and psychological adjustment among students of the College of Physical Education and Sport Sciences at the University of Diyala.

Social Skills. These refer to the skills of interacting with others efficiently. They are grounded in the effectiveness of the communicative process, which enables the teacher to comprehend, communicate, and engage in effective social interaction with others—especially with learners. As Bougrouz noted, social skills are viewed as “an interactive process between verbal and non-verbal behavioral aspects, and cognitive and affective–emotional aspects within the context of social interaction” (Bougrouz, 2017, p. 109).

Presentation Skills. These are the skills of speaking in front of others, which often constitute a major challenge at the beginning of a teacher’s field practice. This was also affirmed by a study conducted by Punongbayan et al. (2025), which reported that teachers evaluated themselves positively in the area of pre-service oral communication, while they tended to review their work to identify errors in written communication. Nevertheless, challenges were found in both domains, most notably limited lexical repertoire, difficulty maintaining a consistent style and tone, and challenges in organizing information.

Persuasion Skills. Dialogue with others requires effort to convey intended messages accurately, especially when one is confronted with differences in others’ cognitive backgrounds. This frequently occurs in classroom settings, and it has two implications : first, it enhances practitioners’ self-confidence ; second, it exerts a positive influence on learners. In this regard, Nob (2021), in a study titled [Distance in social persuasion and its relationship to academic self-efficacy], highlighted the positive effect of teachers—as one dimension of social persuasion—on their students.

Negotiation and Conflict-Resolution Skills. These are the skills that enable the teacher to assume a mediating role and to resolve conflicts—particularly among students—and with all members of the school climate. This is due to their importance for psychological and social balance, through alignment with the aims and goals the teacher seeks to achieve. Such skills are positively reflected in raising students’ level of academic achievement. The results of a study by Don and Ye (2024), conducted to assess the effect of negotiation leadership skills and conflict resolution on students’ achievement, indicated a statistically significant correlational relationship between negotiation skills and conflict-resolution skills, on the one hand, and students’ achievement, on the other.

3.2.Second Level: Teacher–Student Relationship

Within this level, the focus is on training the teacher regarding learners’ characteristics and what they require in terms of theoretical knowledge and practical applications related to their psychological and social aspects, drawing on key topics addressed by social psychology, educational psychology, developmental psychology, and other related branches. In this way, the teacher acquires the knowledge necessary to understand students’ needs, thereby providing an appropriate foundation for effective intervention and preventing weaknesses in this pillar—weaknesses that may lead to poorer results and other unsatisfactory outcomes due to inappropriate intervention. Watts (2024) notes that available research findings indicate that one cause of shortcomings in addressing students with emotional and behavioral disorders is the mismatch between interventions and students’ needs.

Psychological Dimension

This dimension encompasses everything that contributes to understanding and predicting learners’ psychological states, thereby facilitating effective interaction with them during the time they spend with educational professionals. Any weakness in this aspect may generate various difficulties and problems for the educational practitioner. The key components of Psychological and Social Training directed toward learners can be outlined as follows:

Learners’ Developmental Characteristics. Introducing educational professionals to each stage of development through which the learner progresses, and to the distinctive features of each stage across psychological, emotional, physical, social, and cognitive–intellectual development. This also includes understanding learners’ needs at each stage and how to meet them.

Psychology of Learning. The study of psychological theories that explain the learning process, including what occurs in the learner’s mind—such as how information is stored, higher cognitive processes (e.g., comprehension, attention, perception, and memory), motivation, and, ultimately, learning difficulties and how to address them.

Psychology of Individual Differences. Training educational staff—especially teachers—on the importance of differences among learners, particularly given the incorporation of the theory of multiple intelligences in many contemporary educational practices. This component helps the educational practitioner learn how to include diverse learner profiles, moving beyond earlier practices that privileged high-achieving students while marginalizing others toward less valued tracks.

Psychoeducational Assessment (Psychometrics). Focusing in particular on how to construct tests in line with learners’ developmental and psychological characteristics, while also taking individual differences into account.

Psychological Problems. Presenting the most salient psychological problems that may appear among learners and how to address them within the classroom, as well as when and how to refer cases to specialists (e.g., test anxiety, social withdrawal, academic delay and underachievement, learning difficulties, and other disorders).

Behavior Modification. Foundational knowledge needed by educational professionals to address prominent undesirable behaviors and reinforce positive behaviors.

Instructional Methods and Techniques (Teaching Strategies). Familiarizing educational practitioners with key modern techniques that align with learners’ characteristics and cognitive capacities—such as active learning, cooperative learning, project-based learning, and other approaches—as well as techniques related to thinking and learning styles, such as the VARK model of learning preferences.

Effective Revision Techniques. Enabling the teacher to master major techniques shown to enhance memory and retention, facilitate understanding, and raise motivation levels—such as SQ3R, mind mapping, and designing revision schedules (programs), among other techniques.

Motivation. Understanding the nature of the forces that drive learners’ behavior and how to stimulate them in ways that benefit learners.

Social Dimension

This dimension includes everything that contributes to understanding the psychology of the individual within the educational group—among learners themselves, and between learners and teachers and other practitioners. This, in turn, supports psychosocial balance for both educational professionals and learners. Key elements include:

Formation of the Educational Group. Studying the psychological foundations through which groups form within educational institutions, such as school peer groups, online peer groups, school sports teams, and other group configurations.

Social Roles. Identifying the most prominent roles learners may assume (e.g., leaders, followers, socially withdrawn students, and others), and training on how to leverage these roles to create a positive educational climate.

Social Interaction. Addressing major patterns of social interaction among learners, such as adjustment and cooperation, in contrast to competition.

Cohesion versus Conflict. Helping educational practitioners understand how learning groups develop cohesion, how conflict emerges within them, and how to manage and resolve it.

Classroom Management. Learning and applying core skills for interacting with learners within learning spaces—skills that have become among today’s most pressing challenges due to learners’ psychosocial changes and their educational environment. Teacher control of the classroom fosters confidence and self-satisfaction, while also giving learners opportunities for high achievement and academic excellence.

The Impact of Groups on the Individual, Society, and the Learning Process. Enabling trainees in the educational field to employ group dynamics to enhance achievement and academic adjustment—for example, using peer groups to promote academic excellence through training in peer tutoring programs, peer leadership, and other leading programs that have become internationally recognized tools for social impact, such as UN-led peer education programs.

3.3. Third Level: Teacher–Parents Relationship:

This level focuses on everything that may support learners’ adjustment, either directly through practices involving the learner, or indirectly through practices undertaken by parents, with effects that are reflected in the learner’s adaptation and success. A study by Yang et al. (2025) highlighted the dual dynamics of teacher–parent communication : on the one hand, it enhances teachers’ self-efficacy; on the other, it can intensify psychological pressure by increasing demands and emotional labor. The findings also caution against oversimplifying teacher–parent relations as either an unequivocal good or an exhausting conflict. Overstating the gains of parental involvement may exacerbate tension and professional burnout, particularly among teachers who lack the training required to manage contentious interactions. When this gap is addressed, the teacher–family relationship can become a sustainable pillar for teachers’ well-being and students’ success.

A review by Munthe and Westergård (2023) also indicated that communication with parents today requires newly emerging skills.

Psychological Dimension :

The most important points may be outlined as follows:

  • providing a welcoming reception for parents and helping to orient their perspectives;
  • enabling parents to become familiar with their children’s characteristics and traits;
  • collaborating to develop shared plans that can enhance learners’ motivation and increase their academic achievement;
  • responding positively to parental anxiety stemming from an urgent desire for their children’s excellence;
  • supporting parents in accepting learners’ abilities and contributing to guiding them toward pathways that align with those abilities.

Social Dimension :

This dimension concerns the communication of certain ideas, norms, and convictions to parents within the social environment:

  • reshaping parents’ attitudes toward harmful societal beliefs that do not stem from the convictions of children or their parents;
  • promoting children’s acceptance within the social milieu and avoiding comparisons;
  • developing an educational project for children based on their abilities and interests, rather than on parents’ aspirations tied to perceptions of social status.

3.4. Fourth Level: Colleagues and Work Environment:

This level addresses everything that contributes to psychosocial balance and adjustment in the work environment, as well as the mood and self-motivation attained by an employee who experiences psychological comfort and social harmony at work. This is particularly important for teachers’ adaptation to the demanding nature of their profession—especially in relation to colleagues—and for its downstream effects on students. In this regard, Eells (2011) reported a strong association between teachers’ collective efficacy and students’ academic achievement in schools.

Psychological Dimension

This involves becoming familiar with the situations and psychological characteristics of the most salient personalities one is likely to encounter—especially difficult ones—which may diminish an employee’s desire to work. In a study conducted by Yu (2021), working with colleagues who have difficult personalities was found not only to create tension, but also to reduce job satisfaction and increase the likelihood of employee resignation.

Social Dimension

In addition to psychological training, the educational practitioner learns how to engage positively with colleagues and the work environment by contributing effectively to the educational climate—through supporting colleagues and the school administration—as well as by learning how to manage and resolve conflicts and assume a mediating role in dispute resolution.

4. Discussion:

Structural Synthesis of the Proposal. Following the detailed presentation of the levels of the teacher’s Psychological and Social Training, the proposed model allows for a structural synthesis built on Two Core Axes that constitute the foundation of its operation across the four levels, with these levels serving as Organizational / Classificatory Levels for presentation rather than as analytical units.

Psychological Dimension. This dimension concerns what ensures the teacher’s integration and self-adjustment to the requirements of the profession. It includes:

  • Building the Professional Self and clarifying the relationship with the profession ;
  • learning thinking and problem-solving with regard to one’s personal problems and those of others;
  • learning psychological first-aid approaches;
  • understanding others’ psychological characteristics.

This dimension is manifested across all levels: beginning with the teacher’s relationship with the self, extending to the Teacher–Student Relationship, continuing through interaction with parents, and encompassing the teacher’s relationship with Colleagues and Work Environment.

Social Dimension. This dimension relates to the requirements of building relationships and interacting with others, which constitute the foundations of the teacher’s engagement within the components of the school climate. It includes:

  • Patterns of professional relationships;
  • The foundations of influence and mechanisms of change ;
  • Social roles;
  • approaches to educational guidance and intervention.

This dimension likewise operates across all levels, from building relationships to reshaping attitudes and ideas.

Relationship Between the Two Dimensions. Neither dimension can be understood independently of the other; they are intertwined, with each influencing the other. Psychological balance shapes the quality of relationships and interactions, while adjustment within the school group contributes to strengthening psychological well-being. Accordingly, the model proposes understanding Psychological and Social Training as the outcome of the inseparable interrelation of the two dimensions across the various levels, with neither exerting an effect in isolation from the other.

Training and Applied Implications. This structural synthesis makes it possible to articulate training implications that go beyond the mere acquisition of knowledge, toward recognizing professional practice as a coherent psychosocial process. At the level of pre-service training, the model highlights the importance of assimilating knowledge and developing the cognitive and social capacities associated with professional practice. At the level of in-service training, the model underscores the importance of expanding one’s understandings in ways that preserve psychological balance and strengthen professional relationships.

Building on this understanding, the model can be adopted as a general guide for designing training modules or activities aimed at developing the Psychological Dimension and the Social Dimension, without reducing them to pre-designed procedures or standardized programs.

Limitations of the Proposal. This model remains within the scope of a Conceptual–Synthetic Model and does not claim to offer an assessment or measurement tool for competencies. Nor does it seek to establish a relationship between the classification of the levels and the effectiveness of the components of the Psychological Dimension and the Social Dimension. Rather, its role is limited to organizing the knowledge presented and facilitating its reception, without resorting to generalization or providing evaluative criteria for trainees.

Future Research Perspectives and Development. This conceptualization opens up research and development opportunities across several pathways, including:

  • deriving Training Programs or professional mentoring initiatives based on the model’s underlying operating principle;
  • designing Diagnostic Tools grounded in the Psychological Dimension and the Social Dimension;
  • conducting field-based studies / empirical testing of the model through quantitative and qualitative research, or through intervention designs that assess the impact of training on the psychological and social dimensions;
  • expanding research on how different professional groups respond to training in the two dimensions across the levels.

5. Conclusion:

This paper proposed a conceptual framework for formulating an integrated, multi-level theoretical proposal for the Psychological and Social Training of teachers. The added value of this model lies in conceptualizing such training through Two Core Axes and across Organizational / Classificatory Levels that facilitate trainees’ assimilation of the knowledge and techniques presented, thereby fostering cumulative knowledge building. The model also offers Future Research Perspectives for deriving Training Programs, designing Diagnostic Tools, and conducting Field-based Studies / Empirical Testing, in ways that may contribute to the development of Training Policies before and during service.

5.1. Contributions of the Paper:

  • Presenting a Conceptual–Synthetic Model of the dimensions of teachers’ Psychological and Social Training.
  • Clarifying the function of the Two Core Axes and the function of the levels as Organizational / Classificatory Levels for structuring and presenting the model.

5.2. Implications for Training Policies:

  • Contributing to strengthening the integration of Psychological and Social Training within teacher education programs.
  • Supporting the review of the classification and content of teacher training programs across the Psychological Dimension and the Social Dimension.
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