An attribution model of teachers' occupational stress and job satisfaction in a large educational system

Abstract

A cognitive model based on the attribution of responsibility for stress was used as a framework for a study of the occupational stress and job satisfaction of teachers in New South Wales, Australia. One thousand questionnaires were distributed among 109 New South Wales Department of School Education schools of various types: single teacher, infants/primary, central and high school, throughout the state. There was a total response rate of approximately 49% (n = 487). The proposition that externalization of responsibility for stress may be explained in terms of self-defence styles was also investigated. Stress attributable to student misbehaviour was found to be associated with immature defence styles. Occupational stress and job satisfaction were treated as multidimensional phenomena and associations between the dimensions were explored. Teachers satisfied with their occupation attributed greater responsibility for stress to self than did dissatisfied teachers.

Key Words:

• Attribution
• Cognition
• Job satisfaction
• Organization
• Stress