Occupational Stressors, Coping Strategies and Job Satisfaction of Technical College Teachers in South East Nigeria

Abstract

This study examined the moderating effect of coping strategies on the relationship between work environment stressors and teachers’ job satisfaction in Technical Colleges in South East Nigeria. Two specific objectives, two research questions and two null hypotheses were stated to guide the study. The study utilized the correlational research design. The population of the study was 360, comprised of Principals and teachers from public technical college in South-East Nigeria. The sample size was 176 respondents. A two-stage sampling procedure was employed for the study. Two instruments were used for the study. The first instrument was developed by the researcher. It was “Teachers Occupational Stress and Job Satisfaction Questionnaire (TOSJSQ)” and the  COPE Inventory developed by Carver, et al (1989) was adopted for this study. The instrument Teachers Occupational Stress and Morale Questionnaire, TOSJSQ was subjected to a trial test using the Cronbach Alpha method of determining reliability. The instrument was trial tested on 30 respondents who are not part of the sample but are in the study area. The scores obtained from the trial-test was subjected to Pearson product moment correlation (PPMC) alpha analysis. The result gave a value of 0.88 for TOSJSQ. Structural equation modelling (SEM) path analysis was used to answer research questions and to test all the null hypothesis at .05 level of significance. Findings of the path analysis shows a significant moderating effect of coping skills on the relationship between role stressors and teachers’ job satisfaction in technical colleges. There is no significant moderating effect of coping skills on the relationship between mistreatment and teachers’ job satisfaction. The study recommends that Problem-focused coping will help teacher to deal better with stress work situations, as such, teachers are advised to always improvise and find practical ways to solve work related problems.