Navigating Leadership Challenges: Stress and Coping Strategies Among Secondary School Principals
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63062/tk/2k25a.41030Keywords:
Secondary School Principal, Work-related Stress, Coping Strategies, Thematic Analysis, Qualitative ResearchAbstract
The aim of this study was to explore the work-related stress and coping strategies of principals working in public secondary schools. A qualitative research methodology was adopted to conduct this research. A semi-structured interview guide was developed to collect data from secondary school principals. All public schools in the Multan district were considered the population for the study. In total, 40 principals, including twenty males and twenty females were selected through purposive sampling. Thematic analysis was conducted to analyze the data. The analysis found that principals are facing a variety of stressors at school, e.g., lack of school resources, lack of funds, non-cooperative behaviors of teachers and staff, pressure from authorities, anxiety and frustration, work pressures, poor job satisfaction and performance cause stress in school principals. As to coping strategies, power delegation and equal workload distribution is reducing the stress level, moreover, school principals also engage their teachers in healthy activities to provide a conducive environment in school, some highlighted the effective and efficient planning and time management reduce the level of stress, patience and effective listening, fairness and accountability, maintaining proper records of school also found useful coping strategies to reduce the stress among school principals.
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