Health‐related Characteristics of Selected School Principals

Abstract

This survey identified and described health characteristics of selected school principals-leaders and role models for teachers and students. A questionnaire assessing multiple areas of well-being collected data on principals' health in seven areas including attitudes, behavior, illnesses, and life experiences. Results indicated a higher-than-average group well-being score and a range of healthful behaviors practiced over the seven areas. Principals reported little involvement with drugs, relative comfort in their employment, and healthful patterns of coping behaviors. Changes that might contribute to increased well-being were indicated in physical exercise, diet, and stress and time management. Implications for these results include using the principal's interest in health and role modeling behaviors to promote the school health program.

A survey of the health of Victorian primary school principals

“…The low incidence of smoking and the need for better exercise and dietary behaviour are in agreement with previous surveys of principal health (Smith et al, 1988). However, the comparatively poor health status of principals in this study contrasts with previous self-reports of above average health status (Smith et al, 1988). The current findings may be related to the high stress levels reported, as previous work has found 0-8 =``low''; 9-16 =``below average''; 17-23 =``average''; 24-31 =``above average''; > 31 =``high''; e Stress arousal checklist (SACL) typical scale (Mackay et al, 1978).…”

“…However, the health status of Victorian principals was no better than that of the average population, as represented by the NHF group and appears to be worse than that of a comparative group of similar socioeconomic status (HBA). The low incidence of smoking and the need for better exercise and dietary behaviour are in agreement with previous surveys of principal health (Smith et al, 1988). However, the comparatively poor health status of principals in this study contrasts with previous self-reports of above average health status (Smith et al, 1988).…”

“…Despite concerns about the relationship between occupational stress and stressrelated illness (Cooper and Marshall, 1976;Kyriacou, 1987;Savery and Detiuk, 1986), there has been far less work conducted on the general health characteristics of teachers and, again, even less relating to the health status of principals (Smith et al, 1988). One report using self-report of health characteristics on the multidimensional General Wellbeing Questionnaire suggested that principals had above average health status (Smith et al, 1988). This study reported that principals had low drug (tobacco, alcohol) usage, but some health behaviours, particularly diet and exercise needed to be improved.…”

Physical Activity Across the Curriculum (PAAC): A randomized controlled trial to promote physical activity and diminish overweight and obesity in elementary school children

“…Modeling desired behaviors by a person significant to the targeted individual is frequently associated with greater achievement of that behavior (Bandura, 1986, Smith, et al, 1988). Modeling by teachers may be an important mediator of PA in children and strategies to remove classroom barriers and increased teacher modeling should be emphasized in future studies.…”

Opportunities for Student Physical Activity in Elementary Schools: A Cross-Sectional Survey of Frequency and Correlates

“…Activity levels in preschoolers are associated with time spent outdoors (Baranowski, Thompson, DuRant, Baranowski, & Puhl, 1993;Klesges, Eck, Hanson, Haddock, & Klesges, 1990;Sallis et al, 1993), and with number of play spaces close to home (Sallis et al, 1993). School-based opportunities for PA have been described to some extent in middle (Powers, Conway, McKenzie, Sallis, & Marshall, 2002), secondary (Allison & Adlaf, 2000), and elementary schools (Allison & Adlaf, 2000), and positive associations have been reported between PA levels of Grade 6 students and variables describing both the school physical (Smith, Bibeau, Altschuld, & Heit, 1988) and social (Gillander Gadin & Hammarstrom, 2002) environment. However, factors that influence the availability of PA opportunities for students in elementary schools have not been examined.…”