Same job title, same stress? Insights from an analysis of stress profiles of school principals in Switzerland

• A person-centered approach was used to identify stress level profiles of principals in Switzerland. • A third of participants reported high levels of stress which was related to low levels of self-efficacy. • Pre-primary and primary school principals were more likely to belong to the high stress profile. • School size did not predict the profile membership of principals, whereas school level did. • Principals experiencing high levels of stress were more likely to use coaching and peer mentoring. The job of a school principal can be highly demanding, with stress levels depending on the individual's perception (i.e. perceived work overload) and coping behaviors (i.e. intensification and extension of working hours). To provide adequate support to school principals, it is imperative to identify those who are more at risk and to examine the related factors. We examine stress profiles of principals in Switzerland and their association with factors at the school (i.e., level, size) and principal level, such as individual characteristics (i.e., workload, qualification, self-efficacy) and professional development activities (i.e., coaching, peer mentoring, networks, informal exchange, conferences). Data from 1095 principals in pre-primary, primary, and lower-secondary schools were collected with questionnaires. Using latent profile analysis (LPA), profiles of principals with high, average, and low levels of stress were identified. The results show that most school principals were in the average profile and only a small group reported low levels of stress. The high-stress profile included one-third-of school principals, who were more likely responsible for pre-primary and primary level schools. Their levels of stress were associated with lower levels of self-efficacy beliefs but also with more frequent participation in professional development activities, such as coaching and peer mentoring. School size, official workload, and the qualification were not associated with stress profile membership. The findings highlight the importance of considering the school context as well as individual characteristics when investigating school principals’ stress to develop tailored measures.