SOURCES OF OCCUPATIONAL STRESS AMONG PUBLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS IN OBIO/AKPOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF RIVERS STATE, NIGERIA.

Abstract

This study investigated the prevalence and sources of occupational stress among public primary school teachers in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State. Three research questions and three hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. The study adopted the descriptive survey design. The population of the study consisted of 1,250 teachers (856 female and 394 male) in 20 public primary schools in the study area. The instrument titled “Prevalence and Sources of Occupational Stress among Public Primary School Teachers Questionnaire” (PASOSPPSTQ), was used to gather data. The instruments were validated by two research experts. The reliability of the test was determined using the test-retest method. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions, while T-Test and ANOVA were used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. Findings from the study showed that there was no significant difference between gender and prevalence of occupational stress among public primary school teachers [F (2, 364) = 2.002; p>0.05]; There was no significant difference between age and prevalence of occupational stress among public primary school teachers[F (2, 364) = 1.936; p>0.05] and there was no significant difference in the prevalence of occupational stress among primary school teachers in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State based on marital status [F (2.364) = 1.473; p>0.05].  The study recommended that Teachers should identify the peculiar sources and causes of stress and utilize that knowledge to modify and adopt positive work-time behaviour that will assist in reducing the level of stress inherent among teachers.