| Research has shown that teaching is a highly stressful occupation. Teacher stress has negative impacts on classroom performance, job satisfaction, and teacher attrition. Prior research has been conducted into the causes and impacts of teacher stress; however, little research has been conducted to determine what role coping mechanisms for stress play in teacher stress. This study examined the levels of occupational stress and coping mechanisms utilized by Utah secondary agriculture and non-agriculture teachers. Upon identifying coping mechanisms teachers utilized, results were analyzed in relation to demographic characteristics to determine if significant correlations exist-ed. Agriculture teachers reported higher levels of stress than non-agriculture teachers, and stress came from different sources for the two teaching populations. Results also concluded that specific demographic characteristics showed preferences for utilizing specific coping mechanisms. Significant relationships existed between specific coping mechanisms and age, length of teaching career, and type of certification, and hours spent on teaching and teaching-related tasks. (102 pages). |
