Job Stressors and Coping Strategies Among Secondary Level Teachers

Abstract

In the contemporary educational landscape of Bihar, secondary level teachers face an increasingly demanding environment. In Darbhanga, a key educational hub in North Bihar, teachers are the backbone of a transitioning system moving toward the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 standards. However, this transition brings significant \"Job Stressors\"—factors in the work environment that cause emotional or physical strain.Teaching is recognized as one of the most noble yet increasingly stressful professions worldwide, with teachers experiencing burnout, anxiety, and depression at alarming rates. In India, particularly Bihar, the situation is concerning due to insufficient resources, large class sizes, administrative pressures, and inadequate professional support systems.

Introduction

This study examined job stress and coping strategies among 1,000 secondary school teachers (government and private) in Darbhanga District using standardized tools and statistical analysis. The research ensured balanced representation and applied methods like t-tests, ANOVA, correlation, and regression for accurate findings.

The results show that government school teachers experience significantly higher stress than private school teachers due to factors like larger class sizes, lack of resources, and weaker administrative support. Female teachers also report higher stress than males, mainly due to dual responsibilities and social pressures.

Major stressors identified include excessive workload, inadequate resources, administrative pressure, student behavior issues, and lack of recognition. Among coping strategies, problem-focused coping is most common, and combining it with social support leads to better mental health outcomes, while emotion-focused coping alone is less effective.

Stress levels vary with experience, peaking at mid-career (10–15 years), indicating burnout and career-related challenges. Administrative support is found to be the most critical factor, as better support significantly reduces stress and improves job satisfaction.

The study also highlights inequalities between government and private schools in terms of resources, job satisfaction, and professional development opportunities. Globally, teacher stress is a widespread issue, with India showing high stress levels due to large classes and administrative burdens.

The study recommends improving infrastructure, increasing administrative support, providing stress management training, ensuring equitable resource distribution, and implementing gender-sensitive and mid-career support policies. Overall, it contributes valuable insights for improving teacher well-being and educational quality.

Conclusion

The study concludes that secondary teachers in Darbhanga operate under a Moderate to High level of stress. While Government teachers struggle with systemic inefficiencies, Private teachers face grueling hours and financial instability. Recommendations: 1) Policy Intervention: Reduction of non-teaching clerical work for Government teachers. 2) Institutional Support: Regular \"Well-being Workshops\" and Yoga sessions in schools. 3) Financial Security: Timely salary disbursement for private sector educators to reduce \"Economic Anxiety.\"

References

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Copyright

Copyright © 2026 Vikartan ., Dr. Anand Moy. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.