Stress, coping resources and personality types: an exploratory study of teachers

Abstract

This article explores the relationship between the coping resources (as measured by the Coping Resources Inventory) and personality types (as measured by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator) of a sample of 49 secondary school teachers in Gauteng. The results indicate that personality types differ in terms of the level of their coping resources and that the participants’ personality types have a significant influence on the level of their coping resources. The findings show that it can be helpful for educators and school principals to be sensitive to the different ways in which each personality type copes with stress and the coping resources available to them. Recommendations are made to promote the overall well-being of teachers in the South African school environment.