Categoría Percepción de Competencias

Descriptive statistics of frequency count and percentage were used to analyse the demographic data collected for the study. Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA), multiple

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classification analysis (MCA) and Scheffe post hoc test were utilised to analyse the main data collected, at 0.05 level of significance.

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CHAPTER FOUR

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS

This chapter presents the result from the analysis of data collected through the research instruments and their discussions. The results are presented in tables, followed by interpretations and discussions. The chapter is divided into two parts. The first part (A) dealt with the demographic information and the result of school administrators‟ stress management strategies used by the respondents in this study, while the second part (B) dealt with the main results of the study.

PART A 4.1 Demographic information of the respondents

The characteristics of the participants is important for the understanding of certain basic issues concerning the effects of the self-concept and emotional intelligence training on occupational stress of public secondary school administrators in south-west Nigeria.

Figure 4.1: Distribution of participants by states

Figure 4.1 shows that 30.6% of the respondents were from Oyo State, 28.1% were from Ogun State while 41.3% were from Osun State. These were the school administrators in each of the ANCOPSS groups used in each state. These were individuals who by the criteria set for

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Oyo State Ogun State Osun State

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Frequency

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participating in this study, scored above 40% in the School Administrators Occupational Stress Scale, an indication that they were experiencing work-induced stress owing to the post of school principal they held.

Figure 4.2: Distribution of the participants by gender

Figure 4.2 shows that 38.8% of the respondents were males, while their female counterparts were 61.2%. This shows that more female principals participated in the study, a confirmation that both sexes are open to stress arising from the school principalship.

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Male Female

91 Figure 4.3: Distribution of the participants by age

Figure 4.3 above indicates that 4.1% of the respondents were aged 30-40 years; 10.7% were aged 41-50 years; while 85.1% were aged 51-60 years. This shows that the respondents, although they belonged to different age groups, were all open to stress. The duty post of a school administrator is associated with stress regardless of age.

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30-40 Years 41-50 Years 51-60 Years

Frequency

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Figure 4.4: Distribution of participants by years of experience in their positions

Figure 4.4 shows that 38.8% of the respondents served between 1-4 years, 15.7% served between 5-9 years, while 55(45.5%) served above 10 years. This implies that the respondents varied in their years of experience as a school principal. It also means that stress is not absolutely about tenuership in the position of a school principal; whether a person is new or not on the position.

The position is associated with the same kind of stress.

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1-4 Years 5-9 Years > 10 Years

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Frequency

Series1

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Figure 4.5: Distribution of the participants by marital status

In figure 4.5, it is evident that 4.1% of the respondents were divorced, 1.7% were widowed, while 94.4 were married. This shows that whether a school principal is married or not, he or she must experience some level of stress on the job.

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Divorced Widowed Married

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Figure 4.6: Distribution of the participants by educational qualification

Figure 4.6 shows that 61.2% of the respondents had BA (Ed)/BSc (Ed), 28.9% had BA\BSc\PGDE, 3.3% had Ph.D while 6.6% had other educational qualifications; such as HND and MSc /MEd. This is also an indication that experiencing stress in the post of a school principal is not a function of the educational qualification one is holding. Regardless of whether a school principal is a first degree holder or a holder of Ph. D certificate, every principal must exhibit some degree of stress.

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B.A. Ed,B.Sc Ed B.A.,B.Sc,PGDE Ph.D Others

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Figure 4.7: Distribution of the participants by school size (Enrolment)

Figure 4.7 reveals that 47.1% of the respondents were below 500, while 52.9% were above 500.

This shows that respondents varied in their school enrolment and that irrespective of the school size of a school principal, he or she can still experience job-related stress.

Stress-management strategies adapted by sampled public secondary school administrators This section of the analysis deals with the result of school administrators management strategies used by the respondents in this study. The respondents‟ individual stress-management strategies were important to the findings of this study.

Sixty-three percent (63%) of the respondents managed their work-related stress by taking regular exercises. They took a brisk walk round the school, which provided a physical release from tension; 52.1% did not think about school problems when they were at home. They were not in the habit of taking school work to their homes. Fifty-seven percent (57%) of them forced themselves to set aside some time to eat and take a break each day. A total of 63.6% did not

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< 500 > 500

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dwell on their mistakes, because they learnt to forgive themselves and move on with their work.

They saw it as an opportunity to improve themselves. Also 43% were involved in journaling after a tough day to relieve stress and reflect on the day‟s work. They did this by writing down and reflecting on stressful events of the day in their life. Also 57% got out of the office and stayed with the students, which made them to see what was going on in the classrooms, this helped them to adjust their focus on the goals of the school. Similarly, 43% play relaxing or inspirational music in the office during the day; 57% wrote out what they planned to do the following day before they left school each day. This helped them to start the next day prepared.

Also 59.5% built a supportive network by finding other school administrators to talk to; they would go to a conference or seminar occasionally. A total of 58.7% of them noted that they increased their daily level of communication with staff and parents. More communication to them means fewer problems. However, 76.9% of them stayed organized by planning ahead; they tried to take each day at a time. Among them, 72.7% asserted that they would not make snap decision unless it was an emergency; 73.6% would slow down their reaction to emotional situation; 78.5% would gather input and data before making a big decision; 75.2% would not take things personally; they would plan to serve others and realize that reactions of people to them was as a result of their position as principal. Similarly, 71.1% had a deep sense of humour;

81.0% made use of being optimistic; they try not to lose their positive attitude. But 80.2%

surrounded themselves with good staff and allowed them to do their jobs; 79.3% balance their lives by making time for family, friends, recreation and a hobby; while 77.7% organized their offices, desk filing system, and so on, so that they did not waste time and energy looking for items. A total of 52.9% would go for vacation when they needed one while 9.9% would drink alcohol under intense pressure or frustration at work.

This result revealed that the participants were aware of their job-related stress. The training assisted the principals to develop or add more to their coping strategies in managing their work-related stress. This is in line with the submission of Chyuan (1998) that one of the ways of managing stress is effective self- management, which will involve adhering to a number of rules. The participants used secondary stress-management intervention to manage and cope with their occupational stress. The findings corroborate the views of Giga, Cooper and Faragher (2003) that the secondary prevention programmes are the most common stress-management intervention because it aims at the individual and involves instruction in techniques to manage

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and cope with stress. This also supports Gmelch and Torelli (1994), in their study on school administrators‟ stress and burnout; they found that principals tended to choose secondary intervention strategies rather than primary strategies in managing occupational stress.