Coping Mechanisms Utah Agriculture Teachers Use to Manage Teaching Related Stress

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the level of occupational stress among Utah agriculture teachers, and to determine the coping mechanisms utilized to manage teaching related stressful events. Teachers were asked to rank their level of occupational stress according to the scale used by the American Psychological Association Stress in America report. Additionally, respondents completed the Ways of Coping Questionnaire (Folkman & Lazarus, 1988) to identify a significant stressful teaching related event and further evaluate the coping mechanisms used to manage that event. Upon identifying coping mechanisms teachers utilized, results were analyzed and compared to demographic characteristics using Pearson bivariate correlation. Results concluded that agriculture teachers reported statistically higher levels of stress than the average American. A statistically significant correlation was found between age and level of stress, indicating that levels of stress increase as agriculture teachers age. Additionally, significant correlations existed between age, length of teaching, time spent on teaching and teaching related tasks, and type of certification related to preference for specific coping mechanisms.