Prevalence and Predictors of Occupational Stress among Senior High School Teachers in Ghana

This study investigates the prevalence and predictors of occupational stress among Senior High School teachers in Ghana's Western-North Region. Adopting a positivist research philosophy and a quantitative approach, the research employs a deductive methodology with data collected via self-reporting questionnaires from 179 teaching staff across four schools. The questionnaires, structured around the Workplace Stress Scale and additional stressor categories, are designed to quantify stress levels and identify dominant stressors. The findings reveal that teachers experience moderate stress levels, with 43.5% of participants scoring in the reasonable range. Multiple regression analysis identifies workload, work environment, student problems, and interpersonal relationships as significant predictors of stress, explaining 37% of its variance. Interpersonal relationships emerge as the most potent stressor, while the influence of stress management strategies remains minimal and statistically insignificant. This study contributes to understanding teacher stress in a specific educational context, highlighting the need for interventions targeting interpersonal dynamics to alleviate stress among educators.

This study investigates the prevalence and predictors of occupational stress among Senior High School teachers in Ghana's Western-North Region. Adopting a positivist research philosophy and a quantitative approach, the research employs a deductive methodology with data collected via self-reporting questionnaires from 179 teaching staff across four schools. The questionnaires, structured around the Workplace Stress Scale and additional stressor categories, are designed to quantify stress levels and identify dominant stressors. The findings reveal that teachers experience moderate stress levels, with 43.5% of participants scoring in the reasonable range. Multiple regression analysis identifies workload, work environment, student problems, and interpersonal relationships as significant predictors of stress, explaining 37% of its variance. Interpersonal relationships emerge as the most potent stressor, while the influence of stress management strategies remains minimal and statistically insignificant. This study contributes to understanding teacher stress in a specific educational context, highlighting the need for interventions targeting interpersonal dynamics to alleviate stress among educators.