Original scientific paper
SITUATIONAL COPING WITH STRESS AMONG PRESCHOOL TEACHERS
Žana Pavlović
; Dječji vrtić Cvrčak, Solin, Hrvatska
Joško Sindik
; Institut za antropologiju, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Abstract
A significant factor that can adversely affect the daily operation of teachers and the quality of the relationship with the children in their care is the stress that teachers experience on the job. Stress experienced at work is not a simple product of exposure to adverse environmental factors. Of extreme importance are the personality traits of the teacher and the way they impact the ways of coping with stress. The aim of this study was to examine the possibility of forecasting situational coping with stress (criteria) on the basis of predictors such as personality traits of the preschool teachers (optimism/pessimism, emotional competence, self-efficacy), seniority, dispositional style of coping with stress and how teachers perceive different sources of stress on the job. The participants were 336 preschool teachers from Split-Dalmatia County. The following measuring instruments were applied: Scale for assessing stress of preschool teachers, Optimism-pessimism scale of general self-efficacy, Social desirability scale, Emotional competence questionnaire EUK-15, Questionnaire on coping with stressful situations and Questionnaire and coping with stressful situations. The results showed that dispositional coping mechanism focused on emotions, personality traits such as self efficacy (to a lesser extent), and seniority significantly contribute to situational coping with stress. The only significant predictor of job satisfaction turned out to be the intensity of the perceived stress. The findings contribute to a better understanding of stress among preschool teachers. This understanding can help in the design and improvement of programs for the prevention of stress, i.e. for developing and adopting effective strategies, coping skills and for promoting better social interaction.
Keywords
personality traits; teacher stress; coping with stress
Hrčak ID:
127761
URI
Publication date:
3.10.2014.
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