Psychosocial Stress, Symptoms, and Anxiety of Male and Female Teachers in Greece

Abstract

Psychosocial stress as measured by a Greek adaptation of the Schedule of Recent Experiences (SRE) constructed by Holmes and Rahe was studied in relation to symptoms, manifest anxiety, visits to doctor, and health concerns using 129 male and female Greek elementary school teachers. Psychosocial stress was related to number of symptoms and to level of manifest anxiety only with women. Although no sex differences were found in average psychosocial ratings, males and females reported different stressful life events. Females reported more symptoms than males, and had higher manifest anxiety. Relationships of sex differences to cultural norms are discussed.

Psychosocial Stress, Physical Symptoms, and Anxiety in Greek Students

“…The next question concerned whether the lack of correlation between psychosocial stress and symptoms, and psychosocial stress and anxiety in males, which was also ob served with older school teachers [Georgas and Giakoumaki, 1985] might be due to the social desirability effects. That is, normative behavior in Greece precludes males com plaining about physical symptoms.…”

“…The assessment of psychosocial stress was based on a variation of the approach of Holmes and Rahe [1967], The procedure was in tended to identify psychosocial events (a) with similar cross-cultural meaning; (b) relevant to Greek culture, and (c) relevant to university experiences. Similar procedures were followed in constructing the scales in Georgas et al [ 1984] and in Georgas and Giakoumaki [1985]. Sixty-seven potential psychosocial events based on the above criteria were chosen.…”

“…We focused on the effects of potentially stressful psychosocial events in Greece on psychosomatic and psychological reactions [Georgas et al, 1984;Georgas and Giakoumaki, 1985]. Our approach was based on that of Holmes and Rahe [1967], but with items added that were relevant to Greek cul ture.…”

“…In a recent study in Greece [Georgas and Giakoumaki, 1985] the effects of psychoso cial stress on physical symptoms and anxiety were studied in 129 elementary school teach ers aged 28-46. Although the ratings of the most stressful events were similar to those found in other cultures, the events character istic of those teachers with high stress were specific to the fact that they were married, with financial responsibility for the family, and to other conditions.…”

“…It was expected that sex would also differentially affect physical symptoms and anxiety. Finally, because the lack of correla tion between events and anxiety, and events and physical symptoms in Greek males [Georgas and Giakoumaki, 1985] may be due to social desirability effects, the correla tion between social desirability and these variables was also explored.…”