Headteacher Stress, Coping and Health Book

This study investigates how headteachers react to, and attempt to cope with, stressful work situations. It examines the factors influencing their success, or otherwise, at handling problems and factors affecting headteacher health. The questionnaire and semi-structured interview schedule used in the study could be adapted by anyone undertakinng similar research. Analysis shows that the recent and unprecedented changes in education are a major difficulty for headteachers and that external resource adequacy is a significant determinant of situational outcomes. Analyses also reveal that the headteachers' psychological health is significantly poorer than that of comparable groups and more closely approximates the health of unemployed subjects. Two cognitive styles are identified in coping research as powerful predictors of psychological health and physical symptoms. The results are discussed in relation to management and cognitive-behavioural training for headteachers and modifying current methodologies for studying stress and coping.