Assessing Stress Levels and Influencing Factors for Faculty in Higher Education Institutions: A Case Study in Visakhapatnam of Andhra Pradesh

Abstract

Stress is common among faculty during their college work. They can often experience high levels of stress because they frequently encounter various challenges at their workplace that can negatively affect their academic performance and general health. However, familiar sources of stress among faculty working in higher education sectors have not been clearly defined. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the familiar sources of stress among them in the region of Visakhapatnam. One of the northeastern coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh belongs to south India. This was a descriptive, cross-sectional study. The convenience sample included 85 faculties working in various higher education colleges in Visakhapatnam. The Faculty Stress Index (FSI) was used to describe the sources of stress from four domains: academic load, financial concerns, personal problems, and interface worries. The majority (60%) of the participants were aged between 31 and 60. The primary source of stress was academic load and interface teaching and research responsibilities (M = 3.74, SD = 1.156), followed by financial worries (M = 3.73, SD = 1.285), lack of appreciation regarding their contributions (M =3.61, SD = 1.319), and personal problems to excel in teaching evaluations (M = 2.75, SD = 1.272). The faculty’s stress resulting from their academic load was higher than the other sources of stress, and it was related to a large number of materials like targeted assignments, extended working hours, or other research-related works required for faculty. It is suggested to create a positive and supportive work environment at the workplace, implement strategies for workload management, and professional development opportunities.