Emotional and Occupational Stress among Teachers

in Tagum North District, Philippines

Rebecca A. Bongo
Florentino Catalan Elementary School, Philippines

Janet S. Casta*
St. Theresa International College, Thailand
*Email: cjhannet@yahoo.com. Address: Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences,
St. Theresa International College, Nakhonnayok, 26120, Thailand

Abstract

Stress is gradually paving its way to become a hallmark of the teaching profession. Its
effect on both the emotional well being of the teachers and their performance at work is quite
alarming. Hence, the study investigated the level of emotional and occupational stress among
educators particularly among newly hired teachers. The result of the inquiry is low on both
emotional and occupational stress. However, it was revealed that there exists a significant
relationship between emotional and occupational stress as experienced by educators. The
implications for teacher development on both personal and professional aspects as well as on
educational leadership and administration are noted.

Keywords: emotional stress, occupational stress, newly hired teachers

Introduction
Stress is a widespread feature of work in teaching (Troman, 2000). Earlier studies have
noted the teaching-learning process and classroom/school centered problems as factors
contributing to it. For instance, Pratt (1978) showed that stress arose from five main areas as: a
general inability to cope with teaching problems; non co‐operative children; aggressive children;
concern for children's learning; and staff relationships. As times go by, however, stress is
becoming more complex than it used to be. The study by Travers and Cooper (1993), for
example, cited that not only do teachers find stress in job pressure factors such as ambiguity of
the teacher's role and management/structure of the school but also in the lack of status and
promotion. Tromann (2000) also argued on: the intensification of work; government policies that
promotes management works in schools; and the changing trust relations in high modernity that
are shaping the social relations and impacting negatively on teachers' physical and emotional
well-being, as new factors contributing to stress among educators.

Aside from complexity, stress is also becoming more alarming as the cause is becoming more
varied from one group to another. Among Turkish and Macedonian teachers living in different
socio-cultural and economic situations, Eres and Atanasoska (2011) determined that the poor
colleague relations causes the highest stress level among Turkish teachers, while behavior of
school principals causes the highest stress level among Macedonian teachers. In China, Yang
(2009) identified that the major changes in the education system and the limited resources
supplied by the government as major causes of stress among Chinese teachers in recent years. A

Electronic copy available at: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2892494

 2

study by Brown, Ralph, and Brember (2002) also identified major stresses among primary and
secondary school teachers.

This alarming issue on stress is becoming a major factor in teacher job dissatisfaction, job-
related illness and even early retirement (Brown, Ralph, & Brember, 2002). In America, it was
noted that only 59 percent of teachers lasts more than four years on the job as caused by teacher
stress and burnout (Farber, 1991). Similar situation has been noted in the Philippines as more
than one third of teachers leave the field within the first five years (Roxas, 2009). The report
found that educators in high-need poverty districts tend to leave first while the best of veteran
teachers can feel overwhelmed at times. Now, stress is high on the agenda of many schools
(Brown, et.al., 2002). Moreover, research on teacher stress has become a major area of
international research interest (Kyriacou, 2001). With such a state, Cockburn (1996) stressed that
the issue of teacher stress needs to be considered at the governmental, school, and individual
levels.

The above cited concerns prompted the authors to conduct this study to investigate teachers’
emotional and occupational stress level. Any recommendation formulated as a result of this study
is expected to help teachers, principals, and school administrators to understand and
appropriately address the issue.

To determine the emotional stress of teachers in relation to their occupational stress, the
following questions were formulated:
1. What is the level of emotional stress of teachers in terms of: managing students’
behavior; classroom climate; and involvement?
2. What is the level of occupational stress of teachers in the aspects of: responsibility;
decision-making; support; and change?
3. Is there a significant relationship between emotional and occupational stress among
teachers?

Review of Related Literature

Various classifications of stress have been used over the years. In this study, stress is
classified into emotional and occupational stress.

1. Emotional Stress
Teachers can be exposed to a number of sources of stress. These stressful situations can
influence the teacher’s emotional well-being (Kyriacou, 2001). Boyle (2005) describes emotional
stress as an unpleasant feelings or emotions that impact level of functioning. In this study, it
refers to a negative emotional reaction of teachers in terms of managing students’ behavior,
classroom climate, and involvement. This form of stress is unique to every individual and will
depend on the precise complex interaction between the individual’s personality, values, skills,
and circumstances. However, the teachers’ ability to regulate their emotions will somehow affect
emotional wear (Mendes, 2003). The lesser the control on emotions, the greater will be the stress
experienced by the people involved (Gaur & Dhawan, 2000).

1.a Managing Students’ Behavior How well a teacher manages student behavior is crucial to
his/her success as a teacher. The ability to address issues on student discipline, disruptive
behavior, and violence in the classroom is becoming one parameter for rehiring teachers or

Electronic copy available at: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2892494

 3

awarding tenure (Baker, 2005). This is primarily because the lack there of leads to less academic
engaged time, lower grades, and poorer results on standardized tests (Rose & Gallup, 2005). As
such, it causes emotional stress and even a reason for teachers to leave the profession (Smith &
Smith, 2006). No wonder there is a significant body of research attesting to the fact that new
teachers are very persistent in terms of classroom organization and behavior management
competencies (Ingersoll & Smith, 2003). To the new teachers, the ability to organize classrooms
and manage the behavior of their students is critical to achieving both positive educational
outcomes for the students and teacher retention; hence, the need to provide teachers with
behavior management skills through initial and continuing teacher education (Manthei &
Gilmore, 2006).

1.b. Classroom Climate Classroom climate is generally defined as the learning environment. It is
also synonymous to terms such as atmosphere and ambience. According to Anderson (1982),
there are four groups of climate factors: the physical and materials aspects or ecology; the
composition of the population of a school or milieu; the relationships between persons or social
system; and the belief systems and values or culture. According to Freiberg, Huzenic, and
Templeton (2009), classroom climate is seen as a major determiner of classroom behavior and
learning. For instance, Campbell (2008) found out that an open classroom climate has a
positive impact on adolescents’ civic knowledge and appreciation of political conflict. It also
fosters young people’s intention to be an informed and can partially compensate for the
disadvantages of young people with low socioeconomic status.

1.c. Involvement The first years of teaching are especially stressful as teachers immerse
themselves to their work. They become involved with their peers and colleagues who sometimes
provide advice and offer sympathy and perspective in their most challenging times. This type of
support does much to promote teachers’ personal and professional well-being (Wong-Park,
2007). In similar fashion, teachers get to involve with their students’ parents and family as they
engage them in working directly with their children on learning activities at home (Haynes &
Comer, 2006). Involvement does not, however, end to peers and students’ parents. Hussar
(2009) noted that teachers also get to involve themselves in the concerns of the society. In this
regard, the teacher will have to learn the customs of the broader school community and meet the
unwritten expectations and the associated tasks in the district or state to which a teacher belongs.
These forms of involvement can cause certain stress that can lead to inherent isolation of
individual teachers or be sequestered in their individual classrooms (Veenman, 2004).

2. Occupational Stress
Mansor (2009) defined this term as a physical and emotional responses that occurs where
worker perceives an imbalance between their work demands and their capability and/or resources
to meet these demands. Occupation stress can eventually affect both the physical and the
emotional well-being of workers if not managed effectively (Bernard, 2009). Fimian and Santoro
(2003) emphasized that occupational stress has become increasingly common in teaching
profession largely because of increased occupational complexities and increased economic
pressure on individuals. According to Geetika (2006), occupational stress in teachers can lead to
a variety of negative outcomes including emotional exhaustion, feelings of depersonalization,
and a sense of failure with one's personal accomplishment—a condition which is called burnout.
 4

2.a. Responsibility Primarily, the role and responsibility of a teacher is multitasked in the present
day school system (Borg, Riding, & Falzon, 2011). A teacher has to take on his responsibilities
in the following capacities: lesson planning and teaching; accountability for student
performance; classroom management and discipline; supervisory role; and extracurricular
activity conducting and monitoring. The teaching profession where initially teachers are viewed
as dispensers of knowledge has expanded to teachers as facilitators or managers of knowledge
(Milner & Khoza, 2008). Feldman (2007) asserts that for teachers to be aware of and to act in
ways that are responsible to themselves and to their students, they must be aware of their
existential freedom. This is primarily because a focus on one’s existential concerns can
illuminate the living contradictions of one’s practice and identify real and mythical constraints so
that one can act responsibly to help students to assume the responsibility of their own selfhood.

2.b. Decision-making Rieg, Paquette, and Chen (2007) mentioned that the role in decision
making is taken as an interpersonal factor that may lead to stress as higher number of teachers
have stated that they have less or no role in decision-making process. Decision making is the
study of identifying and choosing alternatives based on the values and preferences of the
decision maker (Harris, 1998 as cited by Fulop, 2005). Making a decision implies that there are
alternative choices to be considered, and the task is to identify the one that best fits the
individual’s goals, objectives, desires, values, and so on. Hence, a teacher’s decision may come
very differently from the other. Westerman (1991), for instance, compared the decision making
of expert and novice teachers. The study revealed that the expert teachers thought about learning
from the perspective of the student and performed a cognitive analysis of each learning task
which they adapted to the needs of students during teaching. In contrast, novices used specific
lesson objectives to form structured lesson plans and did not adapt to meet student needs during
teaching.

2.c. Support Support comes in a variety of form. For instance, educators may be disheartened by
school funding constraints for it may lead to larger class sizes, inadequate facilities, and limited
supplies and resources (Burke & Greenglass, 2005). Sometimes, the lack of support maybe felt
from the administrative staff as they too have items they have to complete and teachers' concerns
sometimes take a back seat (Pierce & Molloy, 2010). Furthermore, the lack of advancement
opportunities to teachers may also contribute to a certain level of stress (Farber, 2004). Among
the principals, poor administrative support, in particular, was associated with higher stress levels
where they considered teachers in their school to be less open to new developments and
challenges (King & Peart, 2012).

2.d. Change Times have changed and the societies and cultures have drastically diversified, yet
most of the school systems prefer to maintain uniformity in all of their branches (Randall &
Altmaier, 2009). Potgieter (2006) confirmed that changes are contributing factors to increasing
stress levels in teachers. Even people who are mentally the healthiest will find it difficult to
avoid the impact of the ensuing stress caused by changes (Cohen, 2001; Hayward, 2011).
Changes may come in varied form as changes in the environment (Beard, 2010); changes in the
education department as organisation (Payne & Furnham, 2008); and even changes in the
education system (Smit, 2000).

Methodology
 5

The researchers employed a descriptive-correlation research design applying quantitative

processes. The respondents of the study were the newly hired teachers of Tagum North District,
Tagum City, Davao del Norte, Philippines. Newly hired teachers were intentionally chosen as
subjects of the study for they are more likely to experience new and varied situations that can
cause stress. There are twelve (12) schools within the district but only six (6) schools have
newly hired teachers. In this regard, the universal sampling method was employed. Table 1
depicts the distribution of the respondents by school.

Table 1. Distribution of the Respondents

Number of
School Newly Hired Teachers Percentage

Elementary School 1 3 15.79 %

Elementary School 2 4 21.05 %
Elementary School 3 6 31.58 %
Elementary School 4 3 15.79 %
Elementary School 5 2 10.53 %
Elementary School 6 1 5.26 %
Total 19 100 %

A questionnaire was utilized as the main tool in this study using a five point Likert’s scale. Part 1
of the questionnaire focused on determining the level of emotional stress of teachers in terms of
managing students’ behavior, classroom climate, and involvement. Part 2 of the questionnaire
consisted of the items pertaining to the level of occupational stress of the same teachers in the
aspects of responsibility, decision-making, support, and change. The readings found in the
related literature aided in the formulation of the items in the questionnaire. It was validated by a
panel of experts before administering to the participants. For the current study, the reliability test
was at 0.84 which indicates reliability of the questionnaire. According to Dornyei (2003), a 0.60
Cronbach Alpha Scale is regarded as an index of reliability. Moreover, the null hypothesis was
tested at 0.05 level of significance. Permission to conduct the study was taken from the regional
division office superintendent and principals/heads of the target schools. The first author
personally administered the questionnaires to the respondents and was later endorsed to a
statistician for consolidation, computation, and tabulation.

Results and Discussions

Presentation of data in this study is done through tables with their corresponding textual
discussions.

Emotional Stress of Teachers

The overall level of emotional stress of newly hired teachers is disclosed in Table 2. Data
include the obtained means of the three indicators with moderate and low descriptions. These
indicators with mean ratings are as follows: Managing Students’ Behavior got a mean of 2.60,
described as moderate; Classroom Climate obtained a mean of 2.58, described as moderate; and
 6

Involvement obtained a mean of 1.99, described as low. These indicators obtained an overall
mean of 2.39, described as low. The result means that the emotional stress of newly hired
teachers is seldom felt. This implies that, generally, the newly hired teachers have already
acquired strategies for managing emotional stress. Teachers might also have already built
resilience to stress by taking care of their emotional health. This result is in conformity with the
study conducted by Kyriacou (2001) that several factors influence the degree to which stressful
situations affect the teacher’s emotional and cognitive well-being. Moreover, the finding
supports Mendes (2003) study on the relationship of teachers’ ability to regulate emotions and
emotional wear. In Tagum North District, self-regulation is practiced, hence, the reason why the
teachers have low emotional stress.

Table 2. Summary on the Emotional Stress of Teachers

No. Indicators Mean Description

1 Managing Students’ Behavior 2.60 Moderate

2 Classroom Climate 2.58 Moderate
3 Involvement 1.99 Low

Overall 2.39 Low

Emotional Stress of Teachers in Terms of Managing Students’ Behavior

Presented in Table 2a are the descriptive data on the level of emotional stress of teachers
in terms of managing students’ behavior. On the table, it can be glanced that majority of the
items yielded a descriptive equivalent of moderate. These items are as follows: item 1 - having
difficulty managing students’ misbehaviour with a mean of 2.63; item 3 - becoming impatient when
students are not participating in class discussion with a mean of 2.63; and item 5 – being
discouraged when students are not attentive in class with a mean of 2.89. On the other hand, the
other two items posted the same mean of 2.42 which is equivalent to low description. These are:
item 2 - could hardly pacify students who are quarrelling; and item 4 - becoming irritable in
dealing with conflicts among students. All the five indicators reached an overall mean of 2.60,
described as moderate. The overall result indicates that teachers do experience a level of emotional
stress in relation to student’s behavior as noted in the study of Rose and Gallup (2005). In the

Table 2a. Emotional Stress of Teachers in Terms of Managing Students’ Behavior

Item
No. Statement Mean Description
As a newly hired teacher, . . .
1 I have difficulty managing students’ misbehavior. 2.63 Moderate
2 I could hardly pacify students who are quarrelling. 2.42 Low
3 I become impatient when the students are not 2.63 Moderate
participating in class discussion.
4 I become irritable in dealing with conflicts among my 2.42 Low
students.
 7

5 I feel discouraged when students are not attentive in 2.89 Moderate

class.
Overall 2.60 Moderate

current study, it can be attributed to the fact that the teachers are new in the teaching profession and
may require further exposure to teaching before they could fully be skillful at managing students in
the classroom. This means further that the teachers should be equipped with behavior management
skills as suggested by Manthei and Gilmore (2006).

Emotional Stress of Teachers in Terms of Classroom Climate

In terms of classroom climate, Table 2b reflects the descriptive data with the overall and
specific mean scores obtained in the five items with their corresponding descriptions. Among the
five items, majority yielded a moderate description and only one (1) item got a low description.
Item 1 – trying to keep my class work from being too routine and boring obtained mean of 2.53,
described as moderate; item 2 – experiencing stress because of bigger class with a mean of 2.95,
described as moderate; item 3- having difficulty to have direct influence over what is going on in
the classroom with a mean of 2.00, described as low; item 4 – being stressful due to lack of
instructional materials with a mean of 2.58, described as moderate; and item 5 - easily getting
angry when students are noisy with a mean of 2.84, described as moderate. This result implies
that class size, misbehaved students, insufficient instructional materials, and routine activities in
the classroom contribute to teacher’s stress. Moreover, the result is in agreement with the
observation of Loukas (2007) that managing behaviors with larger class sizes can be challenging.

Table 2b. Emotional Stress of Teachers in Terms of Classroom Climate

Item
No. Statement Mean Description

As a newly hired teacher, . . .

1 trying to keep my class work from being too routine 2.53 Moderate
and boring puts stress on me.
2 I experience stress because of bigger class. 2.95 Moderate
3 I have direct influence over what is going on in the 2.00 Low
classroom.
4 I am stressful due to the lack of instructional 2.58 Moderate
materials.
5 I easily get angry when students are noisy. 2.84 Moderate
Overall 2.58 Moderate

Emotional Stress of Teachers in Terms of Involvement

Shown in Table 2.c. are the data on the level of emotional stress of teachers in terms of
involvement. The mean rating of each item with its description is presented. As observed, the
first four (4) items got a descriptive equivalent of low. These items are: item 1 – lonely because
of not mingling with colleagues with an obtained mean of 1.63; item 2 - trying to be attentive to
the problems and needs of fellow faculty is stressful with a mean of 1.68; item 3 - having to
participate in school activities outside of the normal working hours in stressful with a mean of
 8

1.83; and item 4 - attending school-related duties makes me very stressful with a mean of 1.89. The
rate these four items indicate that the emotional stress of teachers is seldom felt. Being involved in
school-related activities is a responsibility which does not cause stress to the newly-hired teachers.
Also, getting along with other teachers is not a problem for them.
The only item with a moderate description is item 5 – lack of parental support to the students with
an obtained mean of 2.89. This means that the teachers are emotionally stressed when the parents
are not showing their support for their children’s education. This finding supports the ideas of
Haynes and Comer (2006). Accordingly, the general public believes that support from parents is
important in the education of children.

On the whole, the level of the emotional stress of teachers in terms of involvement is low,
indicating that the emotional stress of teachers is seldom felt in this aspect. The newly hired
teachers of Tagum North District experience low emotional stress in terms of involvement
probably because of the presence of the veteran teachers who are willing to help support beginner
teachers to adjust to their work and their environment. The result supports Wong-Park’s (2007)
study on the importance of more experienced colleagues in the teaching profession.

Table 2c. Emotional Stress of Teachers in Terms of Involvement

Item
No. Statement Mean Description

As a newly hired teacher, . . .

1 I am lonely because I don’t want to mingle with 1.63 Low
colleagues.
2 trying to be attentive to the problems 1.68 Low
and needs of fellow faculty gives me stress.
3 participating in school activities outside of the normal 1.84 Low
working hours is stressful.
4 attending school-related duties makes me very stressful. 1.89 Low
5 lack of parental support over their children makes me 2.89 Moderate
feel stressed.
Overall 1.99 Low

Occupational Stress of Teachers

The data on the level of occupational stress of newly hired teachers are summarized in
Table 3. The data show the means of the four indicators and their descriptive equivalents. The 4
indicators obtained an overall mean of 2.19 with a descriptive equivalent of low. Specific mean
ratings and their descriptions are as follows: Responsibility got a mean of 2.42, described as low;
Decision-making got a mean of 1.99, described as low; Support got a mean rating of 2.00; and
Change got a mean of 2.34, described as low.

The data disclosed that the occupational stress of newly hired teachers is low. This implies that
the teachers have less stress in relation to their teaching vocation. In an informal interview with
the teachers, it seems that various factors influenced this result. Among them include: a
 9

supportive principal/school head who cares for the teachers’ needs and concerns; seasoned
teachers who share their expertise by giving guidance to beginning teachers; and the positive
outlook of new teachers to cope with stress. In a study by Monica (2011), it was revealed that
burn-out is one of the causes of stress. However the teachers despite being responsible for
various tasks have tried to disregard negative attitudes and instead adopted an enthusiasm over
the development of their respective careers. This outcome supports claim that stress can play a
positive role in improving work functions. In the model of stress by Nelson and Simmons
(2003), the authors argue that work stressors are inherently neutral, and how employees appraise
work stressors is the main determinant of whether the stressor will produce positive or negative
responses. It is not surprising, therefore, that a growing attention has been devoted to the positive
effects that can result from being placed under demanding conditions (Jex, & Britt, 2014).
Positive consequences of stress or eustress noted in various studies include: optimism, hardiness,
hope, positive affect, vigor, energy, and meaningfulness (Homer, Notman, & Nadelson 1983;
Wilkinson (1997).

Consequently, the role played by seasoned teachers in the life of newly hired teachers has also
received much attention in the realm of education. Some studies point to the differences between
new and seasoned teachers. For instance, new teachers have been reported to be limited, anxious
but more flexible, while the seasoned teachers are often described as easily irritated, rigid, and
adamant to explore new teaching practices (Le Maistre, & Paré, 2010; Dunn, & Brasco, 2006;
Nicotera, Clinkscaes, & Walker, 2003; Zisow, 2000; The Business Education World, 1937). Yet
despite these characteristics, studies point to the need for new teachers to be guided by the
seasoned teachers. Feiman-Nemser (2003), for instance, describes how new teachers face
difficulties and turn to veteran teachers for advice and mentoring as they will have to spend
several years more of teaching experience to be proficient and would need to undergo high-
quality induction program from old teachers to overcome the challenges and stress in the
teaching profession. Termed as integrated professional cultures (Kardos, Johnson, Peske,
Kauffman, & Liu, 2001) or coaching (Poglinco, & Bach, 2004), the seasoned teachers extend
their support and guidance to new and novice teachers in their profession. Such interaction
between new teachers and the experienced teachers will go a long way in developing and
improving their skills (Gilbert, 2005).

Table 3. Summary on the Occupational Stress of Teachers

No. Indicators Mean Description

1 Responsibility 2.42 Low
2 Decision-making 1.99 Low
3 Support 2.00 Low
4 Change 2.34 Low
Overall 2.19 Low

Occupational Stress of Teachers in the Aspect of Responsibility

Table 3a reflects the information on the level of occupational stress of teachers in the
aspect of responsibility. Teachers’ perceptions obtained an overall mean of 2.42 with a descriptive
 10

equivalent of low. Among the five items, only one item got a descriptive equivalent of moderate,
the rest of the items obtained mean ratings with a description of low. The items with low level are
presented as follows; item 1 – feeling stress due to deadlines and time pressures with an obtained
mean of 2.42; item 2 - having a hard time balancing between work and home with a mean of 2.42;
item 4 – being given responsibility without the authority to take decisions with a mean of 2.32; and
item 5 – being burdened with lesson planning requirements with a mean of 2.42. These 4 items in
low level description mean that in terms of responsibility, there is no alarm as to its giving stress to
the new teachers. On the other hand, the only item with a moderate level description is item 3 –
trying to complete reports and paper work on time with a mean of 2.53. Among the five items
presented, this item needs attention and perhaps a coping technique in order to minimize
occupational stress of newly hired teachers. On the whole, the overall mean is 2.42 described as
low with regards to occupational stress of newly hired teachers in the aspect of responsibility.

Table 3a. Occupational Stress of Teachers in the Aspect of Responsibility

Item
No. Statement Mean Description
As a newly hired teacher, . . .
1 I feel stressed due to deadlines and time pressures. 2.42 Low
2 I have a hard time balancing between work and home. 2.42 Low
3 trying to complete reports and paper work on time causes 2.53 Moderate
me stress.
4 responsibilities without the authority to take decisions gives 2.32 Low
me stress.
5 I am burden with lesson planning requirements. 2.42 Low

Overall 2.42 Low

Occupational Stress of Teachers in the Aspect of Decision-making

Table 3b shows the data on the level of occupational stress of teachers in the aspect of
decision-making with the obtained means and their descriptive equivalents. As reflected, all
items posted mean ratings with a low level description. The mean ratings of these items are 1.95,
2.11, 1.79, 1.84, and 2.26. The items with low rating are: item 1 - neglecting some school tasks
because of too much work; item 2 –classroom observations by the school head; item 3 - having

Table 3b. Occupational Stress of Teachers in the Aspect of Decision-making

Item
No. Statement Mean Description
As a newly hired teacher, . . .
1 I neglect some school tasks because of too much work. 1.95 Low
2 classroom observations by the school head gives me stress. 2.11 Low
3 insufficient opportunities to share my ideas and points of 1.79 Low
view gives me stress.
4 I experience difficulty when discouraged to make initiative 1.84 Low
for school related activities.
 11

5 I have difficulty telling others clearly what I want. 2.26 Low

Overall 1.99 Low

insufficient opportunities to share ideas and point of views; item 4 - being discouraged to make
initiative in school related activities; and item 5 - having difficulty telling others what I want. All
these items got an overall mean of 1.99 with a descriptive equivalent of low.

Occupational Stress of Teachers in the Aspect of Support

Table 3c displays the quantitative data on the level of occupational stress of newly hired
teachers in the aspect of support. Data include the specific mean rating of each item and its
descriptive equivalent. As noticed, all the six (6) items obtained the same descriptive equivalent
of low. The first three items got 2.05 mean rating and these are: not provided with allowance
seminars/trainings; not having enough financial support in participating in different competitions;
and not provided with resources and materials to do the job. The next items obtained mean ratings
of 2.00 and 1.84 and these are as follows: lack of positive feedback for one’s work; lack of
consolation when a teacher is upset or under pressure; and having no support from administrative
head when having conflicts with parents or students. On the whole, the low level description
indicated by an overall mean of 2.00 means that the occupational stress of newly hired teachers in
the aspect of support is seldom experienced. This means further that the school is supportive to the
needs of its teachers. Evidently, the newly hired teachers of Tagum North District did not
experience poor administrative support which according to King and Peart (2012) influences
stress.

Table 3c. Occupational Stress of Teachers in the Aspect of Support

Item
No. Statement Mean Description
As a newly hired teacher, . . .
1 attending seminars/trainings without allowance gives 2.05 Low
me stress.
2 participating in different competitions with financial 2.05 Low
constraints gives me stress.
3 I have difficulty with lack of resources and other 2.05 Low
materials needed for my job.
4 I feel discomfort with the lack of positive feedback at 2.00 Low
work.
5 I have stress with lack of consolation when I am upset 2.00 Low
or under pressure.
6 lack of support from my administrative head when I 1.84 Low
have conflicts with parents or students is stressful
Overall 2.00 Low
 12

Occupational Stress of Teachers in the Aspect of Change

Table 3d displays the information on the level of occupational stress of newly hired
teachers in the aspect of change. Teachers’ perceptions obtained an overall mean of 2.34 with a
descriptive equivalent of low. Obviously, all the six (6) items obtained mean ratings with a
descriptive equivalent of low. These items are presented in the same arrangement as they
appeared on the table. Item 1 – finding difficulty to cope with re-organizational or curriculum
change with a mean of 2.47; item 2 - feeling of uncertainty about work due to re-organization and
new initiatives with a mean of 2.26; item 3 – observing changes that are not accompanied by
appropriate support and trainings with a mean of 2.37; item 4 –a lack of consultation when
significant change is being proposed with a mean of 2.21; item 5 - poor attitudes of the students
over introduction of new strategies and methods in teaching with a mean of 2.32; and item 6 -
having difficulty encouraging parents to get involved in school activities with a mean of 2.42. The
overall result indicates that in the aspect of change, the occupational stress of newly hired
teachers is seldom experienced in Tagum North District. Their stress level is low because they
have a positive attitude towards change. With the implementation of the K to 12 curriculum, the
teachers are sent to trainings and workshops which possibly resulted to less stress among the
teachers.

Table 3d. Occupational Stress of Teachers in the Aspect of Change

Item
No. Statement Mean Description
As a newly hired teacher, . . .
1 I find it difficult to cope with the pace of organizational or 2.47 Low
curriculum change.
2 I feel uncertainty about work due to re-organization and new 2.26 Low
initiatives.
3 I feel uncomfortable with changes which are not 2.37 Low
accompanied by appropriate support and trainings.
4 I have stress over lack of consultation when significant 2.21 Low
changes are proposed in school.
5 I am discouraged with students’ negative attitudes 2.32 Low
on new strategies and methods of teaching.
6 I have difficulty encouraging parents to get involved in 2.42 Low
different school activities.
Overall 2.34 Low

Significant Relationship between Emotional and Occupational Stress of Teachers

The data on the test for the significant relationship between the emotional and
occupational stress of teachers are shown in Table 4. Pearson r and Z-test were utilized in the
analysis of the data.

The emotional stress of teachers as an independent variable obtained an overall mean rating of
2.39 while the occupational stress posted a mean rating of 2.19. These two mean ratings are
described as low. Computation using Pearson r revealed an r-value of 0.7465 which indicates a
high correlation between the two variables under study.
 13

When the r-value was tested for significance at 0.05 level of significance using Z-test, the
computed z-value of 3.17 was obtained with the probability level of 0.028. The probability level
is lesser than 0.05 level of significance, thus prompted the rejection of the formulated hypothesis
that there is no significant relationship between emotional and occupational stress of teachers.

Squaring the r-value resulted to a coefficient of determination of 0.5573. This means that the
teachers’ emotional stress is related to their occupational stress by 55.73%. The 44.27% variation
can be attributed to other factors not included in this study. This further implies that the low level
of emotional stress of newly hired teachers in Tagum North District is highly contributory to the
same level of their occupational stress. The result conforms to the transactional model of stress
as cited by Mark and Smith (2011), which asserts the interconnection between emotional stress
and occupational stress. Similarly, Geetika (2006) noted similar observation emphasizing that
occupational stress in teachers can lead to a variety of negative outcomes including emotional
exhaustion, feelings of depersonalization, and a sense of failure with one's personal
accomplishment.

Table 4. Significant Relationship Between Emotional & Occupational Stress of Teachers

Variables r- Degree of Z- Probabilit Decision

X Y value Correlation value y Level α = 0.05

Emotional
Stress
2.39 2.19 0.7465 High 3.17 0.028 Ho is
Correlation Rejected
Occupational
Stress

Coefficient of Determination = 0.5573

Conclusions
This study showed a significant relationship between emotional and occupational stress
among teachers. This implies that as the teachers experience increased occupational stress, their
emotional stress level likewise increases. Similarly, when the teacher’s occupational stress level
decreases, a decline in emotional stress level becomes apparent. This implies that addressing the
emotional stress of teachers may result to a decrease in their occupational anxiety and vice versa.
This salient inter-relationship between emotional and occupational stress of teachers is critical to
reducing the overall stress experienced by teachers. Moreover, the result also suggests that the
problem of emotional and occupational stress maybe resolved by a variety of solutions as
addressing one variable can affect the other.
 14

As there is a low level of occupational stress on responsibility, decision-making, support, and

change, it must be maintained or may be reduced to even lower level. Current school system
policies and practices on these indicators should be continued or further developed with the
concerted efforts of all the staff and teachers involved. In a similar vein, each school should
pursue a curriculum that promotes not only academic, but also social and emotional
learning.This maybe done through the leadership of the principal or school head in order to
increase awareness among the teachers of the effects of stress in their profession as well as
enhance the quality of life of their students and staff.

On the other hand, the teachers may be sent for trainings, seminars, conferences, or even conduct
symposiums that address managing students’ behavior and classroom climate which were
considered as great sources of emotional stress among teachers. By lowering the level of
emotional stress, it follows that the level of occupational stress will also be reduced since these
two variables were found to be highly related.

The mental health of teachers and its possible relation to emotional and occupational stress may
also be explored. While this study assumes that the subjects were of good mental health when
they participated in this study, they have not been examined nor tested for possible mental issues.
The assumption of good mental health was made as no mental illness symptoms were noted
before, during, and even after the course of this study. As stress is greatly of the mind, the mental
health issues of the subjects may play a significant role in further shedding light to the issue of
stress.

For future studies, the possibility of poor involvement or concern about work may be further
verified as it seems that the low level of occupational stress among teachers stems from the
strong support of superiors and seasoned teachers. In addition, an assessment of the overall work
performance of the teachers may be explored to provide more insights to the effect of stress in
teachers’ work performance.

Finally, researchers may also consider conducting further investigations related to the variables
identified in this research since approximately 56% of the variables influence each other. The
challenge now is to investigate the other indicators belonging to the other 44% which were not
identified in this study. Similarly, as the sample size in this study is small, future studies may
consider conducting the same topic on a wider scale and with a greater number of respondents.

References
Anderson, C.S. (1982). The search for school climate: A review of the research: Review of
Educational Research, 52(3), 368-420.
Baker, P. H. (2005). Managing student behaviour: How ready are teachers to meet the challenge?
American Secondary Education, 33, 51-64.
Beard, P. (2010). Strategies for teachers in identifying and overcoming stress. South African
Journal of Education, 10(2), 109-115.
 15

Bernard, M. E. (2009). Teachers stress: Factors contributing to teacher stress: Implications for
research, prevention, and remediation. Behavioural Counselling, 2(1), 3-25.
Borg, M. G., Riding, R. J., & Falzon, J. M. (2011). Stress in teaching: A study of occupational
stress and its determinants, job satisfaction and career commitment among primary
school teachers. Educational Psychology, 11, 59-75.
Boyle, G. J. (2005). A structural model of the dimensions of teacher’s emotional stress. British
Journal of Educational Psychology, 65(1), 49–67.
Brown, M., Ralph, S., & Brember, I. (2002). Change-linked work-related stress in British
teachers. Research in Education, 67(1), 1-12.
Burke, R. J., & Greenglass, E. (2005). Job stressors, type A behavior, coping responses, and
psychological burnout among teachers. International Journal of Stress Management, 2,
45-57.
Campbell, D. E. (2008). Voice in the classroom: How an open classroom climate fosters political
engagement among adolescents. Political Behavior, 30(4), 437-454.
Cohen, J. (2001). What is a teacher's job?: An examination of the social and legal causes of role
expansion and its consequences. Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy, 14(2): 427-
446.
Cockburn, A. D. (1996). Primary teachers' knowledge and acquisition of stress relieving
strategies. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 66(3), 399-410.
Dornyei, Z. (2003). Questionnaire in second language research: Construction, administration
and processing, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.
Dunn, R., & Brasco, R. (2006). Supervisory Styles of Instructional Leaders. School
Administrator, 63(8), 40.
Eres, F., & Atanasoska, T. (2011). Occupational stress of teachers: A comparative study between
Turkey and Macedonia. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 1(7),
59-65.
Farber, B. A. (1991). Crisis in education: Stress and burnout in the American teacher.
USA:Jossey-Bass.
Farber, B. A. (2004). Stress and burnout in suburban teachers. Journal of Educational Research,
77, 325-331.
Feiman-Nemser, S. (2003). What new teachers need to learn. Educational leadership, 60(8), 25-
29. .
Feldman, A. (2007). Teachers, responsibility and action research. Educational Action
Research, 15(2), 239-252.
Freiberg, H.J., Huzenic, C., & Templeton, S. (2009). Classroom management- A pathway to
student achievement: A study of fourteen inner-city elementary schools. Elementary
School Journal, 110(1), 63-80.
Fimian, M. J., & Santoro, T. M. (2003). Sources and manifestations of occupational stress as
reported by full-time special education teachers. Exceptional Children, 49(6), 540-530.
Gaur, T. & Dhawan, A. (2000). Stress and the teaching profession. Baltimore: Paul H Brooks.
Geetika, S. (2006). A study of the occupational stress among Employees from different careers of
Chandigarh (Unpublished master’s thesis). Panjab University, India.
Gilbert, L. (2005). What Helps Beginning Teachers? Educational Leadership, 62(8), 36-39.
 16

Haynes, N.M., & Comer, J.P. (2006). Integrating schools, families, and communities through
successful school reform: The school development program. School Psychology Review,
25(4), 501-506.
Hayward, R. (2011). The implication of teachers' stress in primary schools: A management
perspective (Unpublished master’s thesis). University of South Africa, South Africa.
Homer, M., Notman, N., Nadelson, C. (1983). The challenge of change: Perspectives on family,
work, and education. New York: Plenum Press.
Hussar, W.J. (2009). Predicting the need for newly hired teachers in the United States.
Washington, DC: U.S. National Center for Education Statistics, Department of
Education, Office of Research and Improvement.
Ingersoll, R. M., & Smith, T. M. (2003). The wrong solution to the teacher shortage. Educational
Leadership, 60, 30-33.
Jex,S & Britt, T. (2014). Organizational psychology: A scientist-practitioner Approach. NJ: John
Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Kardos, S. M., Johnson, S. M., Peske, H. G., Kauffman, D., & Liu, E. (2001). Counting on
colleagues: New teachers encounter the professional cultures of their
schools. Educational Administration Quarterly, 37(2), 250-290.
King, A. & Peart, M. (2012). The satisfaction and stress of being a teacher. Worklife Report,
8(6), 12-14.
Kyriacou, C. (2001). Teacher stress: Directions for future research. Educational review, 53(1),
27-35.
Le Maistre, C., & Paré, A. (2010). Whatever it takes: How beginning teachers learn to
survive. Teaching and Teacher Education, 26(3), 559-564.
Loukas, A. (2007). What is school climate? Retrieved March 4, 2015 from
http://www.naesp.org/resources/2/ Leadership Compass/2007/LC2007v5n1a4.pdf.
Manthei, R. & Gilmore, A. (2006), Teacher stress in intermediate schools. Educational
Research, 38, 1, 3-19.
Mansor A. T. (2009). A preliminary study on occupational stress and job satisfaction among
male navy personnel at a naval base in Lumut, Malaysia. The Journal of International
Social Research.
Mark, G. & Smith, A. (2011). Occupational stress, job characteristics, coping, and the mental
health of nurses. British Journal of Health Psychology.
Martin, N. K., & Baldwin, B. (1996). Helping beginning teachers foster healthy classroom
management: Implications for elementary school counselors. Elementary School
Guidance & Counseling, 31(2), 106-113.
Mendes, A. (2003). Dealing with the stress of teachers. Education, 118(4), 590.
Milner, K. & Khoza, H. (2008). A comparison of teacher stress and school climate across
schools with different matric success rate. South African Journal of Education, 28, 155-
173.
Monica, L. (2011). Occupational stress of teachers (Unpublished dissertation). Panjab
University, India.
Britt,T. & Jex, S.(2015). Thriving under stress: Harnessing demands in the workplace. NY:
Oxford University Press.
 17

Nicotera. M., Clinkscaes, M., & Walker, F. (200). Understanding organization through culture
and structure. NY: Psychology Press.
Payne, M. & Furnham, A. (2008). Dimensions of occupational stress in West Indian secondary
school teachers. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 57, 141-150.
Pierce, C. & Molloy, G. (2010). Relations between school type, occupation stress, role
perceptions and social support. Australian Journal of Education, 34: 330-338.
Poglinco, S. M., & Bach, A. J. (2004). The heart of the matter: Coaching as a vehicle for
professional development. Phi Delta Kappan, 85(5), 398.
Potgieter, A. (2006). Die onderwyser se belewenis van die Suid- Afrikaanse Onderwysstelsel.
Johannesburg: RAU.
Pratt, J. (1978). Perceived stress among teachers: the effects of age and background of children
taught. Educational Review, 30(1), 3-14.
Randall, R. & Altmaier, E. (2009). Intervention in occupational stress. London: Sage
Publications.
Reig, S.A., Paquette, K.R., & Chen, Y. (2007). Coping with stress: An investigation of novice
teachers’ stress in the elementary classroom. Retrieved October 12, 2008 from
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3673/is_2_128/ai_n29412765.
Rose, L. C., & Gallup, A. M. (2005). The 37th annual Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup poll of the
public’s attitudes toward the public schools. Phi Delta Kappan, 87(1), 41-57.
Roxas, C. (2009). Stress among public elementary school teachers. University of the Cordilleras
Research Journal, 1(4), 86 – 108.
Smit, S. (2000). Job stress in management personnel in secondary schools: an educational-
psychological investigation (Doctoral dissertation). Potchefstroom University for
Christian Higher Education, South Africa.
Smith, D. L., & Smith, B. J. (2006). Perceptions of violence: The views of teachers who left
urban schools. The High School Journal, 89, 34-42.
The Business Education World, volume 18, (1937). USA: Gregg Publishing Company.
Travers, C. J., & Cooper, C. L. (1993). Mental health, job satisfaction and occupational stress
among UK teachers. Work & Stress, 7(3), 203-219.
Troman, G. (2000). Teacher stress in the low-trust society. British journal of sociology of
education, 21(3), 331-353.
Troman, C. & Woods, P. (2011). Primary teachers’ stress. London: Routledge Falmer.
Veenman, S. (2004). Perceived problems of beginning teachers. Review of Educational
Research, 54, 143–178.
Westerman, D. A. (1991): Expert and novice teacher decision making. Journal of Teacher
Education, 42(4), 292–305.
Wilkinson, C. (1997). Managing health at work: A guide for managers and workplaces health
specialists. London: Chapman & Hall
Wong-Park, M. G. (2007). The relationship between assessment procedures in teacher support
programs and teachers’ feelings of support. La Verne, CA: Université of La Verne.
Yang, X., Ge, C., Hu, B., Chi, T., & Wang, L. (2009). Relationship between quality of life and
occupational stress among teachers. Public Health, 123(11), 750-755.
Zisow, M. A. (2000). Teaching style and technology. TechTrends, 44(4), 36-38.