The aim of this paper is to investigate factors that have an effect on special educators’ occupational stress, their coping mechanisms and to their possible stress spillover from work to personal life. The spillover model has been selected to examine the impact of work stress to the home domain. In this context, thirteen interviews were conducted with Greek special educators. Results of the thematic content analysis highlighted that lack of equipment and staff, students’ physical integrity, the organization of secondary special educational system and work experience were the main stress factors for special educators. Stress experienced at work has a strong impact in special educators’ personal life, supporting the spillover model hypothesis. Results are discussed in relation to stress coping mechanisms that special educators use at work and at home as well as propositions for occupational changes in special education.

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