The Relationship between Personality, Sense of Efficacy, and Stress in Korean Teachers

Abstract

Several studies have linked teachers' personality characteristics and sense of efficacy to stress. However, investigating the relationship between these three constructs in this context was limited. This study aims to investigate the relationship between personality, sense of efficacy and perceived stress among Korean teachers. A total of 137 teachers working in elementary, middle, and high schools located in Seoul, South Korea were recruited for the study. The participants were administered Temperament and Character Inventory, Teacher's Sense of Efficacy Scale (TSES), and Perceived Stress Scale. The TSES was negatively correlated with harm avoidance and positively correlated with persistence, self-directedness, cooperativeness, and self-transcendence. Perceived stress was positively correlated with harm avoidance and negatively correlated with persistence and self-directedness. The path analysis showed that harm avoidance directly predicted perceived stress (β=0.37, 95% CI=0.21–0.53, p=0.002), and self-directedness and persistence predicted one's sense of efficacy (β=0.18, 95% CI=0.01–0.39 and β=0.31, 95% CI=0.10–0.47), which predicted perceived stress (β=-0.21, 95% CI=-0.39 to -0.02). The results of the present study indicate that harm avoidance might be associated with stress-proneness, while persistence, self-directedness, and sense of efficacy might act as protective resources against stress in Korean teachers.

Relationship between Personality and Biological Reactivity to Stress: A Review

“…It is a common observation that people are clearly diverse in their psychological and physiological responses to stressors and challenging environments [3,4]. Personality may be an important factor explaining this diversity, as it can have an effect on a person’s assessment and perception of a potentially stressful situation and a subsequent potentially diverse biological reaction [5,6]. Personality provides an important biological trait, because of its hereditary bases, as well as linkage with intraindividual compatibility [7].…”

“…Trait-based perspectives such as the 16-factor theory of Cattell, the three-factor model of the Eysencks, and, finally, the five-factor approach of personality have made remarkable progress in theories and methods of personality assessment [59]. The two personality theories are including one the five-factor model of personality that uses the NEO-Personality Inventory (NEO-PI) as a measurement instrument [60], and the other psychobiological theory of personality, which uses the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire and Temperament and Character Inventory as measurement instruments [6,61,62]. Among objective personality tests, the dimensions of the big five personality (for example, neuroticism, extraversion, openness to experience, agreeableness, and conscientiousness) have received more attention than other personality constructs [63].…”

Burnout Syndrome Profiles among Teachers

“…Self-efficacy among teachers has been shown to be related to their performance in relation to the teaching-learning process, as well as their emotional aspects, regarding emotional exhaustion and satisfaction towards work (Mahler, Großschedl, & Harms, 2017). A study with Korean teachers demonstrated that the sense of efficacy positively correlates with persistence, self-directedness, cooperativeness, and self-transcendence, acting as a protective resource against stress (Park et al, 2016).…”

Instability of Personality Traits of Teachers in Risk Conditions due to Work-Related Stress

“…The parameters used to evaluate the working environment include interpersonal conflicts, complaints, overtime, letters of recall, absenteeism and accidents at work. They can all be considered indicators of the possible development of work-related stress [34][35][36][37], as well as a manifestation of organizational malaise [55,56].…”

“…Psychosocial risk is discussed as the result of the interaction between the work context and the subjective characteristics of the worker [63]. Others, however, have analysed the relationship between stress and personality traits [56,64,65].…”