Sources of Perceived Stress and Coping Strategies among Ghanaian University Lecturers

Abstract Introduction: The study sought to investigate sources of perceived stress among lecturers of a Ghanaian university and coping strategies they use to mitigate and cope with perceived stress. Methods: The cross-sectional survey design, which involved using the descriptive approach of research, was used for the study. Sampling techniques that were employed to select the sample for the study were proportionally stratified sampling, simple random sampling, and purposive sampling. A questionnaire was used to obtain data from 159 participants. Means and standard deviation were used to analyse the research questions. Results: The study revealed that the most stressful source of lecturers’ stress was teaching large class sizes. The most preferred coping strategy used by lecturers to mitigate stress was found to be maladaptive. Discussion: Lecturers’ job goes beyond the lecture halls. Their workload encompasses teaching, research, and community service. Each of these job requirements are very involving, most especially, the teaching aspect. It is, therefore, not surprising that teaching of large class-size emerged as one of the most impactful sources of perceived stress among lecturers. This seemed to be as a result of increased intake of students in recent years with minimal expansion of university infrastructure and inadequate instructional facilities which also happened to be among of the most perceived stressors. In consequence, lecturers perceived their academic work as stressful, hence they made all efforts to mitigate work-related stress by the use of various coping strategies. Limitations: The sample consisted of a single university in Ghana and the generalisability of results is limited. The results and findings of this study might have considerably varied with an increased sample size. Conclusions: It was recommended that more lecturers should be employed in the university to commensurate with the increasing lecturer-student ratio to ease stress among lecturers. It is also recommended that lecturers patronise the institution’s counselling centre for professional assistance to mitigate work-related stress experiences.