Mental Health in Higher Education: A Comparative Stress Risk Assessment at an Open Distance Learning University in South Africa

Abstract

Universities depend on committed efforts of all staff members to function effectively. However, where occupational demands outweigh occupational resources, challenging work becomes stressful, followed by an exhausted, disengaged workforce. It is unlikely that disengaged university staff will provide adequate care and service to geographically distant and psychologically isolated learners. As students rely heavily on the support of both administrative staff, as well as academic staff, to manage their learning experience, the work stress experienced by both groups deserves research attention. This study employed a comparative mixed method design, including administrative and academic staff from an Open Distance Learning university in South Africa using the Job Demands-Resources measurement instrument. Findings established from 294 university staff members elucidated staff members' experience of work stress within a mega-distance learning university in the developing world. Mindfulness about the stressors that influence university personnel can inform strategic interventions required to alleviate distress for each employment category.

Work-related Stress and Associated Factors among Academic Staffs at the University of Gondar, Northwest Ethiopia: An Institutionbased Cross-sectional Study

“…The findings of other studies in South African (34) and Malaysian (17) higher education institutions support the findings of this study. The probable reason is that academics in higher education routinely have several roles at the same time, making them unable to control their work, which in turn triggers stress (35). Also, it could be because workers who can take initiatives or decide on work perceive their work as controlled and are less likely to be stressed than people without control.…”

Mental health and well-being of university staff during the coronavirus disease 2019 levels 4 and 5 lockdown in an Eastern Cape university, South Africa

“… 14 Reports prior to the pandemic showed an escalation in the poor mental health of university staff members in the United Kingdom 15 and South Africa. 16 Factors such as work-related stress, high workloads, often unattainable performance evaluation processes, the competitive environment in academia and contract employment, 15 the sudden demand to adjust to online teaching, ambiguous boundaries between work and home and social disconnection from students, 4 additional administrative duties and limited organisational support 16 are highlighted. Sahu 17 described the potential impact of the pandemic on the mental health of university staff members as a ‘sense of uncertainty and anxiety about what is going to happen’.…”

Burnout syndrome in university professors and academic staff members: psychometric properties of the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory–Brazilian version

“…Regarding academic staff burnout, research interest has been growing significantly since the 2000s (Winefield et al, 2003;Kinman, 2008;Kinman & Court, 2010;O'Connor & O'Hagan, 2016). Work intensity and long working hours were identified as specific negative determinants for work-life balance among academic employees (Hogan, Hogan, Hodgins, Kinman, & Bunting, 2014), as well as high levels of stress due to time pressure, workload, poor remuneration, feelings of job insecurity, and reduced clarity of role expectations (Poalses & Bezuidenhout, 2018). These results corroborate studies which correlate occupational stress with BS among academic staff members (Adekola, 2012;Mark & Smith, 2012;Khan & Yousaf, 2016;Nazari et al, 2016).…”