WORK AND STRESS AMONG ACADEMIC ADMINISTRATORS OF HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS IN DELTA STATE

Abstract

The study identified the sources and level of stress and how academic administrators of tertiary institutions in Delta State of Nigeria handle job related stress. The sample of 102 respondents comprised 68 Heads of Academic Departments, 17 Directors and 17 Deans of Faculties was selected from a population of 141 academic administrators in five institutions of higher learning based on stratified proportional random sampling technique. A questionnaire was used to collect data for the study. The results showed that the determinants of stress among the administrators are numerous and varied, with compilation of results, time pressures, lack of infrastructure, overseeing the conduct of semester examinations, students indiscipline and the prevalence of all forms of examination malpractices among students as very high ranked stressors. The findings also revealed that the administrators experienced on the average a low to moderate level of stress and this did not negatively affect their performance. Physical exercise, relaxation, prayers, listening to music, talking positively to self and meeting with others are the strategies dominantly utilized by the academic administrators in coping with stress.