Teacher stress among Tawjihi teachers in Jordan and their adopted coping strategies to reduce ...

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University of Huddersfield Repository
Alghaswyneh, Sawsan A I
Teacher stress among Tawjihi teachers in Jordan and their adopted coping strategies to reduce stress
Original Citation
Alghaswyneh, Sawsan A I (2012) Teacher stress among Tawjihi teachers in Jordan and their 
adopted coping strategies to reduce stress. Doctoral thesis, University of Huddersfield. 
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Teacher stress among Tawjihi teachers in Jordan and
their adopted coping strategies to reduce stress

BY

SAWSAN ATALLAH ALGHASWYNEH

A thesis submitted to the University of Huddersfield in partial fulfillment of
the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy

University of Huddersfield

March 2011

I
DECLARATION

I declare that this thesis is the product of my own work, which has not, whether in the same or a
different form, been presented to this or any other university in support of an application for any
degree other than that of which I am now a candidate.

Signed……………………………………….

Sawsan Alghaswyneh

March 2011

II
ABSTRACT

There has been increasing interest in occupational stress during the last two decades. While
studies have been carried out in developed countries, few have been conducted in developing
countries, particularly in the field of education. Since 1970s, the topic of teacher stress has
generated more interest among researchers who initially studied stress in teachers in different
school settings all around the world.
This research study was necessitated by a general lack of knowledge about teacher stress in
general, and stress in Tawjihi teachers, particularly in Jordan. The study was conducted with
Tawjihi teachers (12th grade), in the city of Karak, Jordan to explore levels of stress and the main
sources of stress. It also explored coping strategies adopted by them and actions that should be
taken by schools and the MOE to reduce teacher stress. This research consisted of two phases.
Phase one was a survey using a self-administered questionnaire involving a sample of 513
Tawjihi teachers (229 male teachers and 284 female teachers), where 314 Tawjihi teachers
replied to the questionnaire with a response rate of 73.68%. Phase two was a qualitative study
using semi-structured interviews based on an open-ended interview schedule. Twelve Twajihi
teachers, as well as sixteen other education staff, have been interviewed, which resulted in a
60.87% response rate.
Overall, results indicated approximately 95% of Tawjihi teachers revealed their work as a
Tawjihi teacher was extremely to mildly stressful. Only 4.8% of Tawjihi teachers reported being
a Tawjihi teacher was not stressful. The findings also showed some sources of stress Tawjihi
teachers revealed were limited to them, and yet others were common among teachers in other
countries. Results also showed some of the adopted coping strategies were limited to Tawjihi
teachers, while others were shared with teachers in other countries. The finding regarding coping
strategies also showed that Tawjihi teachers tend to use indirect actions more often than direct
actions.
No significant differences in the level of stress in Tawjihi teachers due to gender, age, teaching
experience, qualification and marital status were found. Moreover, significant positive
III
correlations were found between the level of stress and each main source of stress.
Tawjihi teachers also revealed the actions they desire schools and the MOE to take to help them
reduce stress.
The increased understanding of the levels of stress, its sources, adopted coping strategies and the
actions that should be taken by schools and the MOE to reduce stress will hopefully make a
significant contribution to the knowledge of teacher stress, not only in Jordan particularly, but in
other countries generally.

IV
Acknowledgment
In the name of Allah, the most gracious, the most merciful

First of all, I praise Allah (SWT) for granting me strength, insight, persistence, inspiration,
courage and energy to accomplish this work.
I would like to give my sincere and deepest appreciation and gratitude to my supervisor Dr. Rod
Roberston, for providing guidance, encouragement, wisdom and thoughtful criticism throughout
my work. Even though I was in America and he is in England, we worked in close collaboration
over years regarding my thesis. His advice and keen mentorship has been invaluable over the
past few years. I thank him with all my heart; I really appreciate his help and support.
I am also grateful to my second supervisor for his kind help in reading the thesis and sharing his
comments and enthusiasm.
I would like also to thank Prof. Chris Kyriacou from University of York for advice and providing
me with one of his articles that related to my research. I would like also to thank Prof. Anne
Cockburn from University of East Anglia for her advice and useful comments and suggestions on
my questionnaire. I also thank Prof. Ramon Lewis from La Trobe University/ Australia for his
help and assistance.
I also thank Prof. Cedric Cullingford for playing a key role in ensuring I secured an acceptance at
the University of Huddersfield as well as for his useful suggestions and comments on my
questionnaire.
I would like to thank the Tawjihi teachers who participated in this study, either in answering the
questionnaires or being interviewed. Also, the other Education staff who accepted to be
interviewed; without them, this study would not have taken place.
I extend my acknowledgment and appreciation to staff members who were involved in the study.
Their willingness to share their time and experiences with me was invaluable.
I also extend my profound gratitude to the staff of the University of Huddersfield, especially the
secretary in the school of Education, Suzanne Brown, for offering help whenever I asked for it
while I was away from the University and finally, Dr. Ian Pitchford for all his help and support.
V
I appreciate the peer support from other research students during my studies, especially Dr.
Ahmad Ala’mro.
I would like to thank my friends in Jordan, England and the USA for their care and
encouragement.
I would like to thank Diana Shaibi, Tanya Andrious and Danna Lukman for help in proofreading
my thesis.

Thanks to my husband, children, brothers, sisters, friends and family in-law for their ongoing
support, encouragement, understanding and assistance.

VI
Dedication

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most merciful

I would like to dedicate this work to the most influential people in my life

To the soul of my mother who passed away and was praying for me to get my PhD as she know
that it was my dream. She taught me not give up on my dreams.

Mom, to you I lift my eyes and heart in thanks for being the best teacher I ever had. Through your
love, guidance, gentle shoves in times of despair and repeated messages of encouragement, I found
the strength to persevere.

To my father for his Duaa', encouragement and love.

To my beloved and faithful husband Taher for his patient, understanding and continuous support
throughout my years of study. He gave me the space and time to pursue my dream. I do not
know if I could have completed this endeavor without him by my side.

To my sweetie daughter Taima and my lovely sons Baker and Omar who are my study took a lot
from my time with them.

To my siblings, Ziad, Nahla, Zeid, Andal, Laith, Malak, Baha, and Muhnad, whose Dua', support
and understanding of my time has been my foundation. They were always constant encouragers.
To my family in-law for their sincere help and support, especially to spirit of my aunt Fatima. To
my sister in law Lena
To all friends and colleagues for their continous encouragement and support, especially my friend
Cherifa Mehafdi and all the teachers in New Dimensions.

VII
Table of Contents

Subject Page
No.

Declaration……………………………………………………………………………………….. II
Abstract………............................................................................................................................... III
Acknowledgment............................................................................................................................ V
Dedication………………………………………………………………………………………... VII
Tables of contents.......................................................................................................................... VIII
List of tables.................................................................................................................................. XVIII
Chapter One: Introduction

1.1 Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………... 1
1.2 Background of the study........................................................................................................... 2
1.2.1 Tawjihi Examination and its related stress...................................................................... 2
1.2.2 Tawjihi teachers............................................................................................................... 4
1.3 The need for study.................................................................................................................... 6
1.4 Research Objectives................................................................................................................. 9
1.5 Parameters of the Study............................................................................................................ 9
1.6 Organisation of the Study.......................................................................................................... 10

1.7 Summary……………...............................................................................................................
12
Chapter Two: The Context of Jordan
2.1 Introduction………………………………………………………………………………….. 13
2.2 The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan....................................................................................... 13
2.3 The Educational System in Jordan.......................................................................................... 13
2.4 School Curriculum................................................................................................................... 13
2.5 Teacher Training....................................................................................................................... 14
2.6 Teacher training in computer technology............................................................................... 15
2.7 Teacher status.......................................................................................................................... 15
2.8 School environment................................................................................................................. 16
2.9 Other issues impacting on the Jordanian educational system................................................ 17
VIII
2.10 Summary............................................................................................................................... 19

Chapter Three: General Secondary Education Examination (GSEE)
3.1 Introduction………………………………………………………………………..…………. 20
3.2 Secondary Education............................................................................................................ 20
3.2.1 The comprehensive secondary....................................................................................... 20
3.2.1.1 Academic Education........................................................................................... 20
3.2.1.2 Vocational Education.......................................................................................... 21
3.2.2 The applied secondary education................................................................................. 23
3.3 Tawjihi Examination................................................................................................................. 23
3.4 The need for changing the Tawjihi system............................................................................... 24
3.5 Problems of Tawjihi Examination system................................................................................ 26
3.6 Reform of Tawjihi system…………..………………………………………………………... 27
3.7 Private Tutoring........................................................................................................................ 28
3.8 Summary.................................................................................................................................. 29

Chapter Four. Teacher Stress
4.1 Introduction............................................................................................................................. 30
4.2 The definition of stress............................................................................................................ 32
4.3 Ways of measuring teacher stress........................................................................................... 35
4.4 Why study teacher stress......................................................................................................... 37
4.5 Prevalence of teacher stress.................................................................................................... 39
4.6 Model of stress........................................................................................................................ 40
4.7 Who is stressed........................................................................................................................ 42
4.7.1 Stress and biographical factors........................................................................................ 42
4.7.1.1 Male/female differences..................................................................................... 42
4.7.1.2 Age differences, teaching experience................................................................. 42
4.7.2 Stress and location factors.............................................................................................. 42
4.7.2.1 Type of school.................................................................................................... 42
4.7.2.2 Role in the school.............................................................................................. 43
4.7.3 Personality factors affect admitting to stress................................................................. 43
4.7.3.1 Locus of control.................................................................................................. 43
4.7.3.2 Neurotic personality.......................................................................................... 43
IX