Perceived Stress and Coping Strategies among Expatriate Teachers in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

This study investigates the perceived level of stressors and coping strategies among the faculty of higher education institutions in Saudi Arabia. The faculty stress index (FSI) and a coping strategies questionnaire were used for the collection of data from faculty members. The FSI has five subscales. The higher the score on each of the subscales, the greater would be the stress experienced and perceived by the respondents. The coping strategies are subdivided into seven subscales. The data was collected from 100 faculty members from various institutions in Saudi Arabia. The findings reveal that faculty members with different job titles are experiencing varying levels of stress on each subscale. Three groups of faculty, assistant professor, lecturers, and instructors were significantly different on a reward & recognition subscale of FSI and regarding their viewpoints on tenure. Some coping strategies are found related considerably with the FSI subscale score. There are a few similar studies on Saudi Arabia in the health sector only. This study contributes to the literature by providing insight into perceived stress in the Higher education sector of Saudi Arabia.