Occupational stress and its related factors among university teachers in Japan

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to investigate occupational stress and its related factors among university teachers in Japan. Questionnaire surveys were mailed to 924 university teachers in Japan with a response rate of 43.8%, N = 405. The General Health Questionnaire 28 (GHQ-28), Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), short Japanese version of brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced (COPE) and the Work Situation Questionnaires (WSQ) developed by the authors were administered to participants. Results indicated that university teachers had some mental health problems in relation to gender, professional position, conditions of taking paid leave, job satisfaction, job control, social support, and coping skills. These findings provide evidence that in order to improve the mental health of university, teachers need to take their paid leave freely. It is important to keep high their job satisfaction levels, job control levels, and social support. The results also indicated that the ineffective coping styles lead to poor mental health. In addition, the findings identified the necessity for support of female teachers and younger lecturers, who had a greater tendency toward poor mental health.

Examining the Factors Impacting Academics’ Psychological Well-Being: A Review of Research

“…As job demands compromise psychological well-being among academics, it may be advisable that university administrators implement changes to policy and organizational conditions to address the issue of excessive job demands as well as enhance job resources to address the psychological and physical costs of impaired psychological health in faculty. As indicated by repeated calls by researchers in this domain (Gates, 2000;Kataoka et al, 2014;Regan et al, 2012;Zhang & Zhu, 2008), these findings similarly warrant further administrative consideration as to whether or not academics are indeed being equipped with effective strategies to combat stress. In this respect, related initiatives to develop and implement cost-effective interventions to promote academics' coping resources are needed to attenuate the adverse impact of faculty stress and negative emotions; proactive efforts to prevent damages to psychological health, as opposed to reactionary programs.…”

Perceived work-related stress and its associated factors among public secondary school teachers in Gondar city: a cross-sectional study from Ethiopia

“…For instance, WRS costs US employers $200 billion per year [12]. Indeed, 5274 teachers were absent from Japan's schools in 2011 due to stress [13]. Moreover, the research in Ethiopia also found that nearly two thirds of teachers planned to leave the profession [14].…”

Examining Linkages between Psychological Health Problems, Socio-Demographic Characteristics and Workplace Stressors in Pakistan’s Academia

“…The findings of these studies show that certain socio-demographic characteristics e.g. age, gender, marital status, job position and work experience (Kataoka et al, 2014;Kovess-Masféty et al, 2006;Reevy & Deason, 2014) become risk factors of psychiatric morbidity among academic staff members. Apart from this, certain work related factors e.g.…”

“…The previous research has reported similar results. For example Kataoka et al (2014) carried study on psychological health conditions of faculty members in Japan and found that symptoms of Anxiety, Depression and Social Dysfunction were prevailing among both genders, where its prevalence was high among female faculty members. Moreover, the incidence of such symptoms was high among lecturers as compared to professors.…”

“…Since last few years, it has been observed that the psychological health problems have gradually increased in teaching profession (Bauer et al, 2007;Kataoka, Ozawa, Tomotake, Tanioka, & King, 2014;Kovess-Masféty, Sevilla-Dedieu, Rios-Seidel, Nerrière, & Chee, 2006;Moreno-Abril et al, 2007). The challenges of twenty first century has changed the working environments within universities, that is why academic and research work has become stressful, where university teachers work under strict work schedule, with resources constraints, multiple roles and workload (Winefield, Boyd, Saebel, & Pignata, 2008).…”