STRESS AND MARITAL CONFLICT AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS IN JALINGO EDUCATION ZONE, TARABA STATE NIGERIA

Abstract

This study investigated stress and marital conflict among secondary school teachers in the Jalingo education zone, Taraba State. Three research purposes, three research questions and four hypotheses guided the study. Correlation research design was adopted for the study. The population for this study was 854 secondary school teachers out of which two hundred and thirty-six (236) were selected through stratified proportionate and random sampling. The instrument for data collection were a structured questionnaires titled Teachers’ Stress and Marital Conflict Questionnaire (TSMCQ). The instruments (TSMCQ) was subjected to face and content validity. The reliability of the instrument was established using Cronbach alpha which yielded 0.78 reliability index. Descriptive statistics using mean and standard deviation was used to answer the research questions, while inferential statistics using Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) and independent sample t-tests were used to test thehypotheses. Findings revealed a significant positive relationship between home-based stress and marital conflict and between work-based stress and marital conflict. The following are the summary of findings: A strong positive correlation exists between stress experienced at home and marital discord among secondary school educators in the Jalingo educational area (r = 0.919, p=0.000). In the Jalingo education zone, a study found no notable connection between stress experienced at home and marital discord among both male and female secondary school educators (t-value= 0.057, p = 0.954). A strong positive correlation exists between job-related stress and marital discord among secondary school educators in the Jalingo educational area (r=0.879, p=0.000). There is no notable connection between stress related to work and marital discord among male and female secondary school educators in the Jalingo education zone (t-value = 0.728, p = 0.468). The following recommendations were made based on the findings of the study. Educational institutions, governing bodies, and schools ought to conduct frequent workshops on stress management and provide counseling for educators, assisting them in handling stress from both their personal lives and their professional responsibilities. This initiative will aid in addressing stress-related challenges that impact their overall well-being and job performance. School leaders ought to create guidelines that encourage a healthy work-life balance, which includes minimizing overwhelming workloads, allowing sufficient time for lesson planning, and fostering a supportive work atmosphere. Partners ought to be motivated to participate in transparent and sincere discussions regarding their pressures and difficulties to enhance their connections and reduce disputes.  Given that both male and female educators face comparable degrees of stress- nduced marital issues, it is essential to create interventions that tackle stress impartially, guaranteeing that both genders obtain equal assistance.The results of this research indicate that both home-related and work-related stress significantly contribute to marital disputes among secondary school educators in the Jalingo education zone of Taraba State, Nigeria. The research identified a significant positive link between stress originating from home and marital disputes, in addition to the connection between work-related stress and marital issues. The results indicate that heightened stress, whether stemming from domestic duties or professional pressures, plays a crucial role in fostering conflicts among partners. Additionally, the research indicated that gender is not a major factor in influencing the connection between stress and marital discord. Both male and female secondary school educators face comparable degrees of marital strife due to stress originating from home and work environments. This conclusion suggests that marital difficulties associated with stress are not limited to a specific gender; instead, they impact both male and female educators in equal measure. The research emphasizes the essential requirement for strategies in stress management and conflict resolution to assist secondary school educators in managing stress in both their professional and personal spheres. By implementing support systems, providing counseling, and promoting work-life balance initiatives, it is possible to alleviate the adverse effects of stress on marital relationships.