An investigation of P-12 school administrator stress in South Dakota

Abstract

Stress is a demand made between the adaptive ability of the mind and body and the experience and resources available to cope with those demands and has become an epidemic in society and notably in educational settings. With the growing emphasis of overall wellbeing of students, few studies have focused on those who are in charge of the wellbeing of those students: school administrators. This study aimed to identify factors that impact stress in P-12 (Preschool-Grade 12) school administrators in South Dakota by administering the Administrative Survey Index (ASI). A total of N = 253 school administrators completed the survey. Initial results indicate that administrative constraints, interpersonal relations, and intrapersonal conflicts were the greatest sources of stress. Additionally, the degree to which an ASI item was a source of stress varied by administrators’ gender, occupational title, and grade range of students. The findings are discussed and future directions for research are presented.