Teacher personality traits as a determinant of stress perception and mental health

Abstract

Numerous research studies have shown that teaching profession is one of those most susceptible to stress. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, there are also some additional aggravating circumstances which might be considered stress factors among teachers, primarily a low socio-economic status and forced adaptation to systematic school changes. Moreover, teachers are often victims of a social and moral crisis as well as of the changed roles in education. This paper aims to provide an insight into the current state of teachers' mental health, the presence of stress and stress factors, and to investigate whether and to what extent personality traits and social and economic factors are significant predictors of teachers' perception of stress and their mental health. The following instruments were used: BIG 5, Teacher Stress Inventory (TSI) and Mental Health Inventory (MHI). The sample comprised 181 teachers working in state elementary and high schools in B&H. The results indicate that a moderate level of stress is present among teachers. The stress sources are mainly professional limitations (M=2,56), the issue of discipline and students' motivation (M=2,46), and stress factors related to profession (M=2,47) – large classes, too much paperwork, too little time and money for preparation. The most common manifestations of stress are cardiovascular disorders (M=2,02), fatigue (M=1,91) and emotional disorders (M=1,87). Statistically significant correlations were found between personality traits of extroversion of comfort, conscientiousness, neuroticism and openness, ranging from 0,169 to 0,381. The strongest correlation existed between neuroticism and extroversion. Neuroticism was mainly found to correlate positively with the subscales of stress and stress manifestations, while extroversion was in a negative correlation with stress perception and manifestation. In terms of the correlation between personality traits and MHI subscales, the correlation was in the range between 0,218 and 0,590, with the subscale of neuroticism showing moderately high correlation with anxiety, depression, behavior and emotional control, psychological instability, but also demonstrating negative correlation with psychological well-being, general positive affect and general mental health index. The regression analysis showed that the personality traits of neuroticism and extroversion, but also of conscientiousness, i.e., comfort, were significant predictors of teachers’ mental health and their stress perception. Neuroticism was a significant predictor of time management, professional limitations, discipline and motivation, but also of emotional manifestations of fatigue, cardiovascular disorders, and the total score on the scale of stress, anxiety, depression, the loss of emotional and behavior control, psychological instability, psychological well-being and mental health in general. Extroversion was a significant predictor of professional limitations, discipline and motivation, emotional manifestations, while consciousness significantly predicted gastrointestinal disorders, and comfort predicted depression, psychological instability and the index of mental health. Among social and economic factors, age was a significant predictor of emotional manifestation of stress, while working experience and level of education were significant predictors of gastrointestinal disorders. Keywords: personality traits, stress among teachers, teachers’ mental health.