Factors Associated with Job-Related Stress among Expatriate Teachers: a Case Study of International Schools in Bangkok, Thailand

Abstract

Background: Cultural has transformed and therefore the power of world and globalization has produced an impact that influences in an education which goes beyond as international context and became a prerequisite of the day. As in Thailand, trend of international schools and expatriate teachers is rising. The research aim was to produce related factors of stress on expatriate teachers working at the international schools in Bangkok, Thailand. Methods: A descriptive cross sectional study was used to study the expatriate teachers working at international schools registered in International Schools Association of Thailand (ISAT), Bangkok Thailand. The Lucky Draw technique was used to randomly draw 30 of 60 schools to participate. After the schools accepted the request, the questionnaires were distributed as proportional to size of expatriate teachers in the accepted school by using convenience sampling technique (N=220). The 21-item version of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS) was applied to explore the stress level. Minnesota Satisfaction, General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE) and Cross-cultural Adjustment Measure questionnaires were used to produce the factors related to stress among expatriate teachers. Results: Among 220 expatriate teachers, 86.4% of them were fall to normal stress (DASS score ≤ 7) and 10.5% were fall to mild stress level (DASS score: 8-9). For socio-demographic factors, only marital status was found statistically negative association with stress level (p<0.01).  The working hours also had negative effect to stress (p<0.01). Considering stressors in expatriate assignment, cultural adjustment and job-satisfaction were associated negatively with stress level among expatriate teachers at international schools registered in ISAT, Bangkok Thailand (p<0.01). Conclusion: Socio-demographic, Working profile, and Stressors among expatriate assignment were associated to the stress among expatriate teachers who work at international schools registered in ISAT, Bangkok Thailand.