Work Stress Among University Teachers: Gender and Position Differences

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate exposure to stress at work in university teachers and see if there were differences between men and women as well as between positions. The study was carried out online and included a representative sample of 1,168 teachers employed at universities in Croatia. This included all teaching positions: assistants (50 %), assistant professors (18 %), associate professors (17 %), and full professors (15 %). Fifty-seven percent of the sample were women. The participants answered a questionnaire of our own design that measured six groups of stressors: workload, material and technical conditions at work, relationships with colleagues at work, work with students, work organisation, and social recognition and status. Women reported greater stress than men. Assistant professors, associate professors, and full professors reported greater stress related to material and technical conditions of work and work organisation than assistants, who, in turn, found relationships with colleagues a greater stressor. Full professors, reported lower exposure to stress at work than associate professors, assistant professors, and assistants.

Evaluation of the relationship between subclinical hypothyroidism and metabolic syndrome components among workers

“…Importantly, empirical studies in China report increased work stress in university workers [26]. This work stress at universities is shown to be influenced by gender and position [25]. In the workplace examined in the current study, most senior positions with greater responsibilities are held by males.…”

“…Importantly, thyroid hormones are end hormones of the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis that are altered in acute and repeated stress [24]. In China, despite the growing stress levels in university workers due heavy work load, long working hours and acute time pressure [25,26], there is paucity of data on the association of cardiovascular risks with thyroid function. Therefore, the objective of this study was to examine the association between SCH and MS components in university workers; and to evaluate whether there are differences by sex and occupation.…”

Factors Affecting Stress among Faculty Members of Public Universities in the Philippines: A Multiple Regression Analysis

“…These include work overload (Thorsen, 1996;Abbas & Roger, 2013;Gupta, Rao, & Mukherjee, 2015), work-life imbalance, (Slišković & Maslić Seršić, 2011;Kinman & Jones, 2008;Rafeeq & Harish, 2015), decreased job satisfaction (Brewer & McMahan-Landers, 2013;Reevy & Deason, 2014;Chung, 2011), increased number of students to teach (Easthope C. & Easthope G., 2000;Jamison & Enrera, 2015;Gartia & Sharma, 2013), lack of university funding, resources and recognition (Gillespie, Walsh, Winefield, Dua, & Stough, 2001;Reevy & Deason, 2014;Gupta et al, 2015) and lack of administrative and colleague support (Slišković & Maslić Seršić, 2011;Kavitha, Religious coping, one of the most common coping strategies, is defined as the use of religious beliefs and practices in the facilitation of problem solving in order to easily adapt and to prevent or alleviate the negative emotional effects of the stressful situation (Pargament, Smith, Koenig, & Perez, 1998). The use of religion was shown to help Filipino workers such as fast-food chain workers (Ereno et al, 2014) and policemen (Inasoria, 2014) in decreasing their work stress and in improving their job performance.…”

An Investigation of Work-Related Stress among High School Teachers in the Hhohho Region of Swaziland

“…Kompier & Cooper (1999) compiled and consolidated the incidence, causes and prevention in different types of work places in several European countries. While van Zyl and van Zyl (2012) researched work-related stress among middle level managers from the service sector while other researchers were focusing on teachers' stress either in schools (Pettergrew & Wolf, 1982;Montgomery & Rupp, 2005;Kokkinos, 2007;Chan, Chen & Chong, 2010;Sliskovic & Sersic, 2011;ETUCE, 2011;Kaur, 2011) or in higher education (Loate & Marais, 1996;Sliskovic & Sersic, 2011). Although research on teachers' stress has been continuing, no such studies were conducted in Swaziland's Hhohho region and hence, this study was necessary.…”

“…Research into work-related stress has been an ongoing activity (see for example, Pettergrew & Wolf, 1982;Kompier & Cooper, 1999;Montgomery & Rupp, 2005;Chan, Chen & Chong, 2010;Sliskovic & Sersic, 2011;ETUCE, 2011;Kaur, 2011;van Zyl & van Zyl, 2012). Kompier & Cooper (1999) compiled and consolidated the incidence, causes and prevention in different types of work places in several European countries.…”