A STUDY OF OCCUPATIONAL STRESS AMONG SPECIAL EDUCATION SCHOOL TEACHERS

The present investigation was aimed to study the level of occupational stress among special education school teachers in relation to their gender. Here, a sample of 120 special education school teachers (60 males and 60 females) was selected from 15 special schools of Delhi, Haryana and Rajasthan states through simple random, purposive, convenience and cluster sampling methods. The survey questionnaire Occupational Stress Index developed and standardised by Dr. A.K. Shrivastava and Dr. A. P. Singh (1981) was used for measuring levels of occupational stress among special education school teachers. Percentage analysis, t-test were employed for data analysis. A higher percentage of special education school teachers were found to be experiencing moderate to high level of occupational stress. The dimensions which causes occupational stress are role conflict and ambiguity, powerlessness, low autonomy, low participation in decision making, little colleague social support, high professional expectations, less security, facilities, nature of job, prestige, intellectual stimulation, advancement and emolument and contingent punishment by the administrator. Besides, perceived level of occupational was also found to be related to gender of special education school teachers. A significant difference in mean OSI scores of male and female special education school teachers (t=2.45 which is significant at 0.05 level of significance) was found. The higher value of mean OSI scores (i.e. 126.54) of male special education school teachers than the value of mean OSI scores (i.e. 116.72) of female special education school teachers indicated that the male special education school teachers perceives high level of occupational stress at their workplace in comparison with the female special education school teachers.Thus, authority of the institutions, state managing body and personnel engaged with the administration of the special education institutions are advised to give due consideration to the above factors while planning about educational management. If the national desire for higher quality of education is to be brought in reality, there must emerge, a national concern for and commitment to a higher quality of the educational environment of the special education school teachers