A study of 296 primary school teachers in New Zealand revealed a very low correlation between mental health, measured by the General Health Questionnaire, and absence from work. The correlations between mental health and feelings of stress at work and between mental health and job satisfaction were higher. The most highly rated sources of stress were ranked, as were the most highly rated sources of satisfaction. It is suggested that teachers' experiences of stress are associated with lack of satisfaction with intrinsic aspects of their job rather than with dissatisfaction at their conditions of employment.

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A stratified sample of 40 primary school head teachers in the North Island of New Zealand completed a 63 item check-list on sources of stress. The most highly rated items referred to stress arising from management of time, administrative tasks and interpersonal relationships. A principal components analysis identified four factors, labelled: staff, work-load/administration, role conflict, and meetings. Comparison between groups suggested that experiences of stress were related to the school's catchment area, to the adequacy of its buildings and to the head's teacher's responsibilities.