| Author: | Yeung, Hon-keung Larry |
| Title: | Occupational stress among Hong Kong secondary school teachers |
| Degree: | M.Sc. |
| Year: | 1997 |
| Subject: | Middle school teachers -- China -- Hong Kong Job stress Hong Kong Polytechnic University -- Dissertations |
| Department: | Multi-disciplinary Studies |
| Pages: | vi, 89 leaves ; 30 cm |
| Language: | English |
| Abstract: | The current study is an attempt to explore the job stress experienced by Hong Kong secondary school teachers in terms of their withdrawal behaviours and health problems. The importance of job satisfaction in relation to behaviours and health is also investigated. Based on the study of Thomas and Kiley (1994) and Burke and Greenglass (1995), psychological stress was strongly related to job satisfaction and the coping responses of the teacher. Specific source of stress was the lack of job satisfaction. The level of job satisfaction included the teachers' workload, their certainty in job performance expectation, their freedom at work and whether the job could give them actual satisfaction. Apart from job satisfaction, there were 4 other variables of perceived problems, school management, the self of the teacher and social support. It was found that behaviours and health were predicted by job satisfaction. There was a relationship between job satisfaction and behaviours. There was also a relationship between job satisfaction and health. Teachers who felt job dissatisfied would experience stress. Stress manifested in withdrawal behaviours was found to correlate negatively and significantly with job dissatisfaction. Stress manifested in bad health was also found to correlate negatively and significantly with job dissatisfaction. However it was not as significant as that in withdrawal behaviours. On the other hand, the 4 other variables of perceived problems, school management, the self of the teacher and social support were found not to correlate significantly with job satisfaction. Instead, the focus group discussion revealed that pay, promotion prospect, welfare benefits, work recognition and parents' support were found to correlate with job satisfaction. In other words, these 4 variables might have correlation with job satisfaction. From the results of the current study, it is evident that the teaching profession in Hong Kong is stressful. Job dissatisfaction was found as a major source of stress in behavioural and health terms. Nevertheless, teachers' stress can be reduced if their satisfaction in the job is enhanced. The school management, the government and the teachers-parents' associations should not hesitate to find ways to enrich the teachers' job so as to reduce their stress. It is also recommended that future research should focus on not only job satisfaction but also compensation system, welfare benefits, promotion prospect, work recognition and parents' supportiveness in the teaching profession. The establishment of models of teachers' stress should also include direct observations and interviews. |
| Rights: | All rights reserved |
| Access: | restricted access |
Files in This Item:
| File | Description | Size | Format | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| b14033616.pdf | For All Users (off-campus access for PolyU Staff & Students only) | 2.89 MB | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
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