Personality integrity can be defined as the maturity of personality or as an integrated system of all components of personality (Lacković-Grgin, Ćubela Adorić, & Nekić, 2004). The study of Tucak Junaković (2015) showed high correlation of integrity with self-esteem and life satisfaction, and integrity was also correlated with health. When we take into consideration that close interpersonal relationships with family and friends dominated by support and in which people feel loved, respected, accepted and encouraged are good predictors of health and happiness in life (Myers, 2005), the question arises what is the relationship between those relationships and personality integrity.

Social support can be defined as the availability of people we can rely on, and who let us know that they care about us, and that they appreciate and love us (Sarason, Sarason, & Shearin, 1986). Assuming that both availability of close others and personality integrity have beneficial effects on all aspects of individuals psychological health, the aim of this study is to examine relationship between social support and personality integrity in a group of teachers who work in special conditions of education of children with speech-language and/or hearing difficulties. Also, when we consider that persons who are more socially integrated and who have better social support also have better mechanisms for coping with stress compared to persons who have less social connections (Cohen, Underwood, & Gottlieb, 2000), a question about the relationship between social support and personality integrity with teacher stress arises.

Boyle, G. J., Borg, M. G., Falzon, J. M., & Baglioni Jr., A. J. (1995). A structural model of the dimensions of teacher stress. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 65, 49-67. Cohen, S., Underwood, L. G., & Gottlieb, B. H. (2000). Social Support Measurement and Intervention: A Guide for Health and Social Scientists. Oxford University Press. Ivanov, L., & Penezić, Z. (2010). Skala socijalne podrške. In I. Tucak Junaković, V. Ćubela Adorić, Z. Penezić, & A. Proroković (Eds.), Zbirka psihologijskih skala i upitnika: svezak 5 (ppr. 69-75.). Zadar: Sveučilište u Zadru. Helm, G. (2000). Gender Differences of the Older Adult in Relationship to Ego Integrity and the Need for Control. Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 3. http://dc.etsu.edu/etd/3 Kyriacou, C. (2001). Teacher stress: Directions for future research. Educational Review, 53, 27-35. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00131910120033628 Lacković-Grgin, K., Ćubela Adorić, V., & Nekić, M. (2004). Skala integriteta (SI). In A. Proroković, K. Lacković-Grgin, V. Ćubela Adorić, & Z. Penezić (Eds.), Zbirka psihologijskih skala i upitnika: svezak 2 (pp. 19-623). Zadar: Sveučilište u Zadru. Mikulandra, I., & Sorić, I. (2004). Skala za mjerenje izvora nastavničkog stresa. In A. Proroković, K. Lacković-Grgin, V. Ćubela Adorić, & Z. Penezić (Eds.), Zbirka psihologijskih skala i upitnika: svezak 2 (pp. 62-68). Zadar: Sveučilište u Zadru. Myers, D. G. (2005). Social Psychology. Boston: McGrawHill Sarason, I. G., Sarason, B. R., & Shearin, F. N. (1986). Social support as an individual difference variable: Its stability, origins, and relational aspect. Journal of Personality and Social Pschology, 50, 845-855. Tucak Junaković, I. (2015). Doprinos životnih ciljeva nekim aspektima mentalne dobrobiti i zdravlju. Medica Jadertina, 45, 87-95.