A Quantitative Study Of Occupational Stress And Coping Strategies Among Higher Education Teachers
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29284/mt2b9219Keywords:
Occupational stress, coping strategies, higher education teachers, faculty well-being)Abstract
Occupational stress is an escalating concern among higher education educators due to rising academic obligations, administrative pressures, and institutional expectations. This study investigates the extent of occupational stress and the coping mechanisms employed by faculty members in Arts and Science colleges in Kerala. A quantitative study approach was utilised, and data were gathered from 100 teachers, comprising 50 from government-aided colleges and 50 from self-financing colleges, through a structured questionnaire. The research utilised descriptive and inferential statistical methods, including independent sample t-tests, ANOVA, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression analysis, employing SPSS Version 26. The results show that faculty members deal with a lot of work-related stress, especially because of too much work, job instability, work-life imbalance, and not enough support from the school. Teachers employed in self-financing institutions reported comparatively elevated stress levels in contrast to their counterparts in government-aided colleges. The regression analysis shows that workload, gender, and work-life conflict all have a big effect on stress levels. On the other hand, good coping mechanisms help lower stress levels. The research underscores the significance of institutional support systems, encompassing stress management programs, counselling services, and supportive work practices, to augment faculty well-being and boost the overall efficacy of higher education institutions.
References
1. Abirami, V. (2012). Levels of stress among college teachers with reference to Coimbatore district. Researchers World, 3(2), 93–104.
2. Afzal, S., Din, M., & Qureshi, I. A. (2018). Comparing the stress level of teachers at public and private universities in Pakistan. Journal of Educational Research, 21(1).
3. Aziz, S., & Ghiselli, R. F. (2006). A comparative study of perceived work stress among public and private sector employees. Journal of Business and Psychology, 20(4), 491–503. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10869-005-9018-6
4. Barkhuizen, N., & Rothmann, S. (2008). Occupational stress of academic staff in South African higher education institutions. South African Journal of Psychology, 38(2), 321–336.
5. Bradshaw, S., Jackson, D., & Nguyen, P. (2024). Workplace well-being and stress management among higher education teachers. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 46(2), 215–229.
6. Brough, P., & Pears, J. (2004). Evaluating the influence of the type of social support on job satisfaction and work-related psychological well-being. International Journal of Organizational Behavior, 8(2), 472–485.
7. Chukwuemeka, U. M., Okafor, P., & Nwafor, C. (2023). Work-related stress, coping mechanisms and quality of work life among university lecturers. BMC Psychology, 11(1), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-023-01114-5
8. Delgado-Vela, E. A. (2025). Occupational well-being in higher education teachers: A systematic review. Sapienza International Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, 6(2), 1–15.
9. Dilekçi, Ü., Kaya, A., & Çiçek, İ. (2025). Occupational stress, burnout, and change fatigue as predictors of quiet quitting among teachers. Acta Psychologica, 246, 104812. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2025.104812
10. Edwards, J. R., & Cooper, C. L. (1990). The person–environment fit approach to stress: Recurring problems and some suggested solutions. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 11(4), 293–307. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.4030110405
11. Gillespie, N. A., Walsh, M., Winefield, A. H., Dua, J., & Stough, C. (2001). Occupational stress in universities: Staff perceptions of the causes, consequences, and moderators of stress. Work & Stress, 15(1), 53–72. https://doi.org/10.1080/02678370117944
12. Gupta, S., & Gehlawat, M. (2013). Job satisfaction and work stress of female teachers. International Journal of Education and Psychological Research, 2(1), 24–26.
13. Hülsheger, U. R., Alberts, H. J. E. M., Feinholdt, A., & Lang, J. W. B. (2013). Benefits of mindfulness at work: The role of mindfulness in emotion regulation, emotional exhaustion, and job satisfaction. Journal of Applied Psychology, 98(2), 310–325.
14. Jin, F., Li, Y., & Chen, H. (2025). Occupational stress, coping strategies and mental health outcomes among professionals. Frontiers in Public Health, 13, 1537120.
15. Kinman, G. (2001). Pressure points: A review of research on stressors and strains in UK academics. Educational Psychology, 21(4), 473–492.
16. Kinman, G., & Jones, F. (2008). A life beyond work? Job demands, work-life balance, and wellbeing in UK academics. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 17(1–2), 41–60.
17. Kumar, S. (2020). Impact of job stress on faculty performance in higher education. International Journal of Management Studies, 7(1), 41–49. https://doi.org/10.18843/ijms/v7i1/06
18. Kyriacou, C. (2001). Teacher stress: Directions for future research. Educational Review, 53(1), 27–35.
19. Lazarus, R. S., & Folkman, S. (1984). Stress, appraisal, and coping. Springer Publishing Company.
20. Leiter, M. P., & Maslach, C. (2004). Areas of worklife: A structured approach to organizational predictors of job burnout. Research in Occupational Stress and Well-Being, 3, 91–134.
21. Narayanan, L., Menon, S., & Spector, P. E. (1999). A cross-cultural comparison of job stressors and reactions among employees holding comparable jobs in two countries. International Journal of Stress Management, 6(3), 197–212. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1021989111912
22. Nwoko, J. C., Okoye, C., & Obi, P. (2024). Comprehensive coping strategies for educators’ stress and resilience. Behavioral Sciences, 14(10), 918.
23. Owoeye, I., & Akinwale, T. (2025). Psychological distress and coping strategies among academic staff in universities. Health SA Gesondheid, 30, 1–10.
24. Padmanabhan, M., & Rani, S. S. (2015). Organizational role stress among college faculty in self-financing institutions. Journal of Business Management, 17(1), 18–25.
25. Sharma, M., Goel, A., & Sehgal, M. (2019). Role stress among faculty members: A comparative study of aided and unaided institutions. International Journal of Educational Management, 33(6), 1157–1173. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJEM-07-2018-0214
26. Sharma, S., & Singh, S. (2017). Occupational stress among women and men college teachers: A comparative study. International Journal of Advanced Educational Research, 2(5), 218–220.
27. Sukumar, M. A., & Kanagarathinam, M. (2016). A study on occupational stress among college teachers in self-financing colleges in Coimbatore district. International Journal of Advanced Research in Innovative Ideas in Education, 2(6), 90–94.
28. Tytherleigh, M. Y., Webb, C., Cooper, C. L., & Ricketts, C. (2005). Occupational stress in UK higher education institutions: A comparative study of all staff categories. Higher Education Research & Development, 24(1), 41–61. https://doi.org/10.1080/0729436052000318569
29. Waterhouse, P. (2024). Coping strategies for stress in higher education environments: A scoping review. Educational Review, 76(3), 420–438.
30. Winefield, A. H., Gillespie, N., Stough, C., Dua, J., Hapuarachchi, J., & Boyd, C. (2003). Occupational stress in Australian university staff: Results from a national survey. International Journal of Stress Management, 10(1), 51–63.
31. Yıldırım, D. (2008). Bullying among nurses and its effects. International Nursing Review, 56(4), 504–511. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1466-7657.2009.00745.x
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
