The Relationship Between Physical Activity and Work-Related Stress among High School Teachers

Kontinuirani tehnički i tehnološki napredak, informatizacija nastavnih procesa te modernizacija obrazovanja i društva općenito, stavljaju nove zahtjeve pred nastavničko zanimanje. Navedeni trendovi zahtijevaju od nastavnika svakodnevnu potrebu za usavršavanjem i prilagođavanjem, što zbog svoje složenosti učestalo rezultira pojavom stresa. Česta izloženost stresnim događajima može dovesti do izgaranja na poslu, čije se posljedice odražavaju na radnu učinkovitost ali i zdravlje pojedinca. Istraživanja provedena u razvijenim zemljama pokazuju jasnu negativnu vezu između razine tjelesne aktivnosti i pojave stresa na poslu. S obzirom na to da nisu poznata recentna istraživanja usmjerena na povezanost između razine tjelesne aktivnosti i pojave stresa nastavnika srednjih škola u Republici Hrvatskoj, koja je specifična zbog loše aktualne gospodarske situacije, uvođenja kurikularne reforme, poslijeratnog perioda te opće činjenice da se radi o zemlji u razvoju, ovo istraživanje predstavlja znanstveni ali i praktični doprinos u dobivenim spoznajama i boljem razumijevanju navedene teme. Ciljevi ovog istraživanja bili su utvrditi povezanost razine i domena tjelesne aktivnosti (posao, prijevoz, domaćinstvo, slobodno vrijeme) s pojavom stresa na poslu i zadovoljstvom životom, te utvrditi relativni doprinos razine različitih domena tjelesne aktivnosti u objašnjenju stresa na poslu i zadovoljstva životom nastavnika srednjih škola. Uzorak sudionika činilo je 945 nastavnika srednjih škola Grada Zagreba, koji je bio stratificiran u skladu s vrstama škola i njihovom zastupljenošću na razini Grada Zagreba. Uzorak je bio zastupljen sa sedam gimnazija, dvanaest strukovnih škola te dvije umjetničke škole. Osim dijela upitnika koji opisuje uzorak, za procjenu razine tjelesne aktivnosti korišten je Međunarodni upitnik tjelesne aktivnosti (International Physical Activity Questionnaire, IPAQ-LF) (International Consensus Group, Craig i sur., 2003). Stres na poslu procjenjivan je Upitnikom afektivne radne dobrobiti na poslu (Job Affective Well-Being Scale (JAWS) (Van Katwyk, Fox, Spector i Kelloway, 2000), Upitnikom tjelesnih simptoma stresa (Physical Symptoms Inventory,PSI) (Spector i Jex, 1997) te Upitnikom izgaranja na poslu za učitelje i nastavnike (Teachers Burnout Scale) (Seidman i Zager, 1986). Osim navedenoga, ispitano je i globalno zadovoljstvo vlastitim životom Upitnikom zadovoljstva životom - Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) (Diener i sur.,1985). Za potrebe statističke obrade podataka korišteni su programski paketi Statistica 12 for Windows i IBM SPSS Statistics 26. Korelacijskom analizom utvrđena je negativna povezanost opće razine tjelesne aktivnosti, te razine tjelesne aktivnosti u slobodno vrijeme s pokazateljima stresa na poslu, kao i pozitivna povezanost tjelesne aktivnosti u domaćinstvu s tjelesnim simptomima stresa povezanih s poslom. Također, utvrđena je i pozitivna povezanost opće razine, te razine tjelesne aktivnosti u domenama slobodno vrijeme, domaćinstvo i prijevoz sa zadovoljstvom životom. Hijerarhijskim regresijskim analizama utvrđeno je da najveći doprinos u objašnjavanju različitih indikatora stresa na poslu daje domena slobodnog vremena, koja se pokazala statistički značajnim pozitivnim prediktorom višestrukih kriterijskih varijabli: ukupne afektivne radne dobrobiti (JAWS), ugodnih emocija (JAWS) i tjelesnih simptoma stresa (PSI). Ostali prediktori statistički značajan doprinos pokazali su za sljedeće kriterije: tjelesna aktivnost u domeni posao za izgaranje u nastavničkom poslu vezano uz administrativnu potporu na poslu (TBS), domena prijevoza za ugodne emocije na poslu (JAWS), te domena domaćinstvo kao pozitivni prediktor prisutnosti tjelesnih simptoma stresa (PSI). Najveći doprinos u objašnjavanju zadovoljstva životom daje domena slobodnog vremena, zatim domena prijevoza, dok kod domena posao i domaćinstvo nije dobiven statistički značajan doprinos. Najveći postotak objašnjene varijance (5,2%) kriterija temeljem skupa prediktorskih varijabli, dobiven je kod kriterijske varijable zadovoljstva životom. Znanstveni doprinos ovog istraživanja očituje se u dobivenim spoznajama o povezanosti razine i domena tjelesne aktivnosti (posao, prijevoz, domaćinstvo i slobodno vrijeme) s pojavom stresa na poslu i zadovoljstvom životom nastavnika srednjih škola Grada Zagreba. Također, očituje se i u dobivenim spoznajama o relativnom doprinosu razine tjelesne aktivnosti različitih domena u objašnjenju stresa na poslu i zadovoljstva životom nastavnika srednjih škola, o čemu nisu pronađena recentna istraživanja. Jedini značajan doprinos u objašnjenju različitih indikatora dobrobiti srednjoškolskih nastavnika zapravo ima samo domena tjelesne aktivnosti u slobodno vrijeme, dok ostale domene pokazuju doprinos samo za neke prediktore. Praktični doprinos očituje se u dobivenim rezultatima (premda ne možemo sa sigurnošću govoriti o uzročno-posljedičnom slijedu) koji ukazuju na to da ima smisla (organizacijski, financijski i kadrovski) poticati tjelesnu aktivnost nastavnika u slobodno vrijeme, kako bi se povećala njihova osobna i radna dobrobit.Continuous technical and technological progress, informatization teaching processes, modernization of education and society in general, are placing constant demands on the teaching profession. These trends require from the teachers to have a daily need for improvement and adjustment, which due to its complexity often results in the appearance of stress. Frequent exposure to stressful occurrence can lead to burnout whose consequences are affecting the work efficiency and health of the individual. Studies carried out in developed countries are showing negative relationship between the level of physical activity and the occurrence of work-related stress. Given that recent studies focused on the correlation between the level of physical activity and the high school teachers stress occurrence in the Republic of Croatia are not known, which is specific due to the poor current economic situation, the curricular reform implementation, the post-war period, and the general fact that it is a developing country, this study is representing a scientific but also a practical contribution to the obtained knowledge and a better understanding of the topic. The aim of this study was to determine the level and domain of physical activity (work, transportation, housework, leisure-time) correlation with the occurrence of work-related stress and life satisfaction, and to establish the relative contribution of different domains of physical activity in explaining the work-related stress and life satisfaction of high school teachers. The sample was consisted of 945 high school teachers from the City of Zagreb, stratified according to types of schools and their representation at the level of the City of Zagreb. A sample of seven high schools, twelve vocational schools and two art schools was used. Among the part of questionnaire that describes the sample, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire was used to estimate the level of physical activity (International Physical Activity Questionnaire, IPAQ-LF) (International Consensus Group, Craig i sur., 2003). Work-related stress was estimated with questionnaire Job Affective Well-Being Scale (JAWS) (Van Katwyk, Fox, Spector, & Kelloway, 2000), Physical Symptoms (PSI) (Spector and Jex, 1997) and Teachers Burnout Scale (Seidman and Zager, 1986). Apart mentioned, global life satisfaction was estimated with Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) (Diener i sur.,1985). For statistical data processing, Statistic 12 Windows and IBM SPSS Statistics 26 were used. Negative correlation between general level of physical activity, level of physical leisure-time activity and work-related stress indicators was found using correlation analysis, as well as the positive correlation of physical activity in the housework with the physical symptoms of work-related stress. Positive correlation also was found between the general level and the level of physical activity in the domains of leisure-time, housework and transportation with life-satisfaction. Using hierarchical regression analyzes we determined that the greatest contribution in explaining different indicators of work-related stress, gives the domain of leisure-time, which proved to be a statistically significant positive predictor of multiple criteria variables: total affective work well-being (JAWS), pleasant/positive emotions (JAWS) and physical stress symptoms (PSI). Other predictors showed a statistically significant contribution in relation with: physical activity in the domain of burnout in teaching profession related to administrative support at work, in the transportation domain with pleasant/positive emotions (JAWS), and the domain of housework as a positive predictor of presence of physical stress symptoms (PSI). In explaining life satisfaction, the biggest contribution gives the leisure-time domain, then the transportation domain, while no statistically significant contribution was obtained in the domain of work and housework. Criteria variable of life satisfaction has the highest percentage explained variance (5.2%), based on a set of predictor variables. The scientific contribution of this study is reflected in the obtained knowledge about connection between the level and domains of physical activity (work, transportation, housework and leisure-time) with the work-related stress occurrence, and life satisfaction of high school teachers in the City of Zagreb. Also, it is reflected in the findings about relative contribution of the physical activity levels in different domains: in explaining work stress and life satisfaction of high school teachers, about which no recent studies have been found. The only significant contribution in explaining the various indicators of secondary school teacher’s well-being, actually has only the domain of physical activity in leisure time, while other domains are showing a contribution only for some predictors. The practical contribution is shown in obtained results (even though we cannot claim about the causal link) which are indicating that it makes sense (organizational-, financial-, and personnel-wise) to encourage teachers for physical activity in their free time, in order to increase their personal and work-related wellbeing