Coping actions used by Maltese primary school teachers

Abstract

This paper is part of a larger study dealing with various aspects of occupational stress among teachers. It seeks to identify the coping actions most frequently used by Maltese primary school teachers and how these actions relate to several subgroups; preference in the use of direct-action and palliative strategies was also investigated in terms of the whole sample and the various subgroups. The study took the form of a questionnaire survey involving 844 primary school teachers from all state schools in the Maltese Islands. The results indicated that, of the ten listed coping actions, the three most frequently used were: (1) try to relax after work; (2) try to avoid confrontations; and (3) try to nip potential sources of stress in the bud. Teacher sex, length of teaching experience, age-group taught and ability stream proved significant moderators of some of the coping actions. Significant differences in the use of direct-action and palliative techniques were revealed in the age-group taught and teacher sex subgroups.