Psychological distress, burnout, and coping strategies among Nigerian primary school teachers: a school-based cross-sectional study
Abstract Background The teaching profession is highly stressed job. A high level of stress is associated with poor health outcomes, such as burnout and psychological distress. Therefore, teachers’ use of coping styles becomes imperative. However, relatively little is known about primary school teach...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2021-12-01
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| Series: | BMC Public Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-12397-x |
| _version_ | 1819283535994814464 |
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| author | Eyuche Lawretta Ozoemena Olaoluwa Samson Agbaje Levi Ogundu Amaka Harry Ononuju Prince Christian Iheanachor Umoke Cylia Nkechi Iweama George Usman Kato Augustina Chikaodili Isabu Akor John Obute |
| author_facet | Eyuche Lawretta Ozoemena Olaoluwa Samson Agbaje Levi Ogundu Amaka Harry Ononuju Prince Christian Iheanachor Umoke Cylia Nkechi Iweama George Usman Kato Augustina Chikaodili Isabu Akor John Obute |
| author_sort | Eyuche Lawretta Ozoemena |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The teaching profession is highly stressed job. A high level of stress is associated with poor health outcomes, such as burnout and psychological distress. Therefore, teachers’ use of coping styles becomes imperative. However, relatively little is known about primary school teachers’ psychological distress, burnout, coping strategies, and associated factors in Nigeria. The study investigated psychological distress, burnout, coping strategies among primary schools, and associated factors in Nigeria. Methods A total of 264 teachers aged 20–59 years participated in the study between May 2019 to October 2019. Questionnaires on psychological distress, burnout, coping strategies, and demographic profile form were used for data collection. Factors associated with psychological distress, burnout, and coping strategies were identified using t-test, univariate ANOVA, Pearson’s correlation, Chi-square test, and hierarchical linear regression analysis. Results Of 264 participants enrolled for the study, 253 responded, giving a response rate of 95.8%. The prevalence of psychological distress and burnout was 69.9% (176/253) and 36.0% (91/253), respectively. Sex (β = 0.158), a high level of emotional exhaustion (β = 0.193) and reduced personal accomplishment (β = 0.358), adoption of problem-focused strategies (β = 0.904), and dysfunctional strategies (β = 0.340) were positively associated with psychological distress. Age (β = − 0.338), academic qualification (β = − 0.210), and income level (β = − 0.146) were inversely associated with psychological distress, which together explained 51.5% of the total variance. Psychological distress (β = 0.275 vs. β = 0.404) was significantly associated with emotional exhaustion (EE) and reduced personal accomplishment (PA) and explained 11.4 and 24.2% of the variance in EE and reduced PA, respectively. Conclusions The high prevalence of psychological distress and burnout among teachers should receive urgent attention. Teachers’ training curricula should include developing interpersonal skills, stress management abilities, and resilience to equip them for the job. Also, teacher training curricula should integrate mental health promotion interventions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-24T01:33:02Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-69af9fe42f2946ad8172725a8ae65fec |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2458 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-24T01:33:02Z |
| publishDate | 2021-12-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-69af9fe42f2946ad8172725a8ae65fec2022-12-21T17:22:17ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582021-12-0121111510.1186/s12889-021-12397-xPsychological distress, burnout, and coping strategies among Nigerian primary school teachers: a school-based cross-sectional studyEyuche Lawretta Ozoemena0Olaoluwa Samson Agbaje1Levi Ogundu2Amaka Harry Ononuju3Prince Christian Iheanachor Umoke4Cylia Nkechi Iweama5George Usman Kato6Augustina Chikaodili Isabu7Akor John Obute8Department of Human Kinetics and Health Education, Faculty of Education, University of NigeriaDepartment of Human Kinetics and Health Education, Faculty of Education, University of NigeriaDepartment of Human Kinetics and Health Education, Faculty of Education, University of NigeriaDepartment of Human Kinetics and Health Education, Faculty of Education, University of NigeriaDepartment of Human Kinetics and Health Education, Faculty of Education, University of NigeriaDepartment of Human Kinetics and Health Education, Faculty of Education, University of NigeriaDepartment of Nursing Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Bingham UniversityFaculty of Nursing, Niger-Delta UniversityDepartment of Human Kinetics and Health Education, Faculty of Education, University of NigeriaAbstract Background The teaching profession is highly stressed job. A high level of stress is associated with poor health outcomes, such as burnout and psychological distress. Therefore, teachers’ use of coping styles becomes imperative. However, relatively little is known about primary school teachers’ psychological distress, burnout, coping strategies, and associated factors in Nigeria. The study investigated psychological distress, burnout, coping strategies among primary schools, and associated factors in Nigeria. Methods A total of 264 teachers aged 20–59 years participated in the study between May 2019 to October 2019. Questionnaires on psychological distress, burnout, coping strategies, and demographic profile form were used for data collection. Factors associated with psychological distress, burnout, and coping strategies were identified using t-test, univariate ANOVA, Pearson’s correlation, Chi-square test, and hierarchical linear regression analysis. Results Of 264 participants enrolled for the study, 253 responded, giving a response rate of 95.8%. The prevalence of psychological distress and burnout was 69.9% (176/253) and 36.0% (91/253), respectively. Sex (β = 0.158), a high level of emotional exhaustion (β = 0.193) and reduced personal accomplishment (β = 0.358), adoption of problem-focused strategies (β = 0.904), and dysfunctional strategies (β = 0.340) were positively associated with psychological distress. Age (β = − 0.338), academic qualification (β = − 0.210), and income level (β = − 0.146) were inversely associated with psychological distress, which together explained 51.5% of the total variance. Psychological distress (β = 0.275 vs. β = 0.404) was significantly associated with emotional exhaustion (EE) and reduced personal accomplishment (PA) and explained 11.4 and 24.2% of the variance in EE and reduced PA, respectively. Conclusions The high prevalence of psychological distress and burnout among teachers should receive urgent attention. Teachers’ training curricula should include developing interpersonal skills, stress management abilities, and resilience to equip them for the job. Also, teacher training curricula should integrate mental health promotion interventions.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-12397-xPsychological stressBurnoutCoping strategiesTeachersNigeria |
| spellingShingle | Eyuche Lawretta Ozoemena Olaoluwa Samson Agbaje Levi Ogundu Amaka Harry Ononuju Prince Christian Iheanachor Umoke Cylia Nkechi Iweama George Usman Kato Augustina Chikaodili Isabu Akor John Obute Psychological distress, burnout, and coping strategies among Nigerian primary school teachers: a school-based cross-sectional study BMC Public Health Psychological stress Burnout Coping strategies Teachers Nigeria |
| title | Psychological distress, burnout, and coping strategies among Nigerian primary school teachers: a school-based cross-sectional study |
| title_full | Psychological distress, burnout, and coping strategies among Nigerian primary school teachers: a school-based cross-sectional study |
| title_fullStr | Psychological distress, burnout, and coping strategies among Nigerian primary school teachers: a school-based cross-sectional study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Psychological distress, burnout, and coping strategies among Nigerian primary school teachers: a school-based cross-sectional study |
| title_short | Psychological distress, burnout, and coping strategies among Nigerian primary school teachers: a school-based cross-sectional study |
| title_sort | psychological distress burnout and coping strategies among nigerian primary school teachers a school based cross sectional study |
| topic | Psychological stress Burnout Coping strategies Teachers Nigeria |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-12397-x |
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