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Primary school principals ' job satisfaction and occupational stress

Merike Darmody (Social Research Division, The Economic and Social Research Institute, Dublin, Ireland)
Emer Smyth (Social Research Division, The Economic and Social Research Institute, Dublin, Ireland)

International Journal of Educational Management

ISSN: 0951-354X

Publication date: 11 January 2016

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the factors associated with occupational stress and job satisfaction among Irish primary school principals. A principal’s job has become increasingly demanding and complex in recent decades. However, there is little current research into their levels of stress and job satisfaction, particularly based on nationally representative data. In order to understand how principals perceive their job and how best to support them, new insights into factors contributing to job satisfaction and stress of school principals are warranted.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper draws on an analysis of Growing up in Ireland data, a national representative study of nine-year-old children in Ireland. In order to explore the simultaneous impact of individual and school factors on stress and job satisfaction of principals in Irish primary schools, multivariate analysis was used. Analyses in this paper are based on responses from principals in 898 schools.

Findings

The results of the study indicate that a significant number of primary school principals in Ireland are not very satisfied and feel stressed about their job. Regression analysis revealed that job satisfaction and occupational stress were related to a complex set of personal characteristics, working conditions, school context and teacher climate.

Research limitations/implications

The data are limited to primary school principals. However, this is in itself an advantage since it allows for greater insights into variation across principals in job satisfaction and stress, holding the effect of school level constant.

Originality/value

This is the first study of its kind in the Irish context that explores the simultaneous effect of a number of factors on school principals’ stress and job satisfaction.

Keywords

  • Job satisfaction
  • Ireland
  • Occupational stress
  • Primary schools

Acknowledgements

Growing Up in Ireland data have been funded by the Government of Ireland through the Department of Children and Youth Affairs; have been collected under the Statistics Act, 1993, of the Central Statistics Office. The project has been designed and implemented by the joint ESRI-TCD Growing Up in Ireland Study Team. © Department of Children and Youth Affairs. The authors acknowledge funding from the Teaching Council of Ireland for undertaking the study this paper draws on.

Citation

Darmody, M. and Smyth, E. (2016), "Primary school principals ' job satisfaction and occupational stress", International Journal of Educational Management, Vol. 30 No. 1, pp. 115-128. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJEM-12-2014-0162

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Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2016, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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