IMPACT OF EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATION AND MARITAL STATUS ON THE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES FOR STRESS AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL PRINCIPALS IN RIVERS STATE.

Abstract

This study explored the Impact of educational qualification and marital status on the management strategies for stress among secondary school principals in Rivers State.. Employing an ex-post facto research design, a total of 155 school heads were selected through a stratified random sampling method. Two research questions and two hypotheses guided the investigation. Data collection was facilitated via an online survey instrument developed specifically for this study, titled “Stress Management Strategies among Secondary School Principals Scale” (SMSSSPS). Descriptive statistics, including means and standard deviations, were used to analyze the research questions, while independent z-tests examined the hypotheses. The results indicated that There is a significant difference between the stress management strategies of male and female principals based on their qualification, There is a significant difference between the stress management strategies of male and female principals based on their marital status. Common strategies identified among participants across different groups included going for outings reduces stress, attending parties reduces stress, attending weddings and other functions reduces stress, going to clubs reduces stress and attending ceremonies reduces stress. Based on the findings, it is recommended that principals regardless of gender, incorporate regular physical exercises such as jogging, swimming, and cycling into their routines to better manage stress. Furthermore, it was suggested that female school heads may benefit from a reduced workload to enhance their ability to cope effectively and improve overall school leadership.