Occupational Stress Management: A Case of Public Secondary Schools in Central Division of Kajiado District

Mungai, Anne (2007) Occupational Stress Management: A Case of Public Secondary Schools in Central Division of Kajiado District. Masters thesis, Kenyatta University.

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Abstract

There is general consensus that everybody needs some dosage of stress otherwise life would be boring and without interest. Stress is characterized as the spice of life showing that we are all subject to some form of it. Although too much stress may be damaging to our body and disastrous for our mental health, some stress may be a source of motivation and challenge if put under proper control. Teachers should confront occupational stress as a test that will lead them to professional maturation and as a result it should be regarded as a creative challenge, which can lead through its proper management to productive results. A degree of stress should always accompany the professional activity and challenge and motivate the human organization into action. Stress is an essential condition leading to constructive change as long as it is in manageable doses. The purpose of this study was to put in place mechanisms that teachers can use to be able to manage stress better thus enriching in this way the existing literature with new knowledge. This study therefore sought to identify sources of stress among secondary school teachers in Central Division of Kajiado District in Olkejuado high school and A.I.C Girls. A number of perspectives were examined which included the factors that caused teachers to be stressed, the effect of stress on their work, and the strategies that they used to cope with stress. Data was collected by means of questionnaires with head teachers, and teachers, which were administered personally by-the researcher. Quantitative data was analyzed using descripti ve statistics and results presented in percentages, tables and figures. Qualitative data was organized into themes and categories pertinent to the study and from which the researcher closely evaluated the usefulness of the information in answering research questions. The researcher analyzed the information from the field with a view of fulfilling the research objectives and answering the research questions. On the basis of information gathered, the researcher concluded that teachers were faced with various job stressors, which affected their performance at work. The most stressful factors were inadequate salary with a response rate of 100% and lack of promotion prospects at 91.1 %. Teachers used various strategies to cope with stress. In general, the findings of this research showed that teachers were moderately stressed. Teachers lacked information on the management of stress. The study suggested that the school management should play a significant role in preventing teacher stress. More attention should be paid to what can be done to help teachers cope with the responsibilities, pressures and demands of their work in a constantly changing educational environment.

Item Type:	Thesis (Masters)
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > HD28 Management. Industrial Management H Social Sciences > HV Social pathology. Social and public welfare
Divisions:	Africana
Depositing User:	Tim Khabala
Date Deposited:	23 Jan 2018 11:13
Last Modified:	23 Jan 2018 11:13
URI:	http://thesisbank.jhia.ac.ke/id/eprint/3174

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