Sources of Psychological Stress and Their Relationship with Morale as Seen by UNRWA Teachers in the Educational Region of Nablus

Sources of Psychological Stress and Their Relationship with Morale as Seen by UNRWA Teachers in the Educational Region of Nablus Prepared by Yahia Mohammad Nada Abstract Researchers have always been concerned very much in psychological stress because of its negative effects on physiological and psychological health " of human beings in addition to its relationship with a lot of variables such as human motivation for work and morale. This study aimed at knowing the sources and levels of psychological stress of UNRWA teachers in the educational region of Nablus in light of sex, qualification , and age. It also aimed at knowing the relationship of psychological stress with their morale in the light of finding out the degree of morale and the factors affecting it according to sex, qualification and age variables. To achieve these aims, the researcher formed the following questions: 1. What are the sources of psychological stress of UNRWA teachers in the educational region of Nablus , and how are they arranged according to their influence ? 2. What is the morale degree of UNRWA teachers in the educational region of Nablus , by what factors is it affected , and how are they arranged according to their influence ? 3. What is the relationship between the level of psychological stress that UNRWA teachers in the educational region of Nablus suffer from and their morale level ? The researcher limited the population of the study ( N. 575 teachers ) from which he chose a sample consisting of ( 144 teachers ) that equals 25% of the original population. The researcher made a questionnaire which consists of two parts the first to measure psychological stress and the other to measure morale and it was shown to a specialized committee of six referees at An-Najah National University. The consistency coefficient was determined by re-test ry method by using the coefficient factor of both Pearson's and Cronbach's equation Alpha. The Pearson coefficient was ( 0.70 ) for the first part which is concerned of measuring psychological stress and ( 0.82 ) for the second part which is concerned of measuring morale. The coefficient by using Cronbach's equation Alpha was (0.73) for the part of psychological stress and ( 0.92) for measuring morale. Therefore it was found to be suitable for the aims of the study. The researcher 'distributed the questionnaire at the members of the sample. Ile got back ( 140 ) forms five which were without answers, and so the statistical analysis was made on 135 forms only. After using statistical approaches and analyzing results, the study reached the following findings : 1. UNRWA teachers in the educational region of Nablus are exposed to a medium degree of psychological stress. The answer percentage was (54.23 % ). 2. The stress sources which affect teachers are as follows arranged in decreasing magnitude: school stress ( 64.46 % ), work stress ( 56.74 % ), role burden and ambiguity ( 46.8 % ), job satisfaction ( 38.84 %) , leadership type of principal ( 37.2 % ). 3. Variables of sex, qualification and age have no effect on the sources of psychological stress for male and female teachers at the UNRWA schools in the educational region of Nablus. 4. Degree of male and female teachers' morale is medium where the percentage answer was ( 65. 75 % ) 5. Arrangement of factors causing high morale according to their importance are as follows : peer relationship , leadership and administrative type , work conditions , rules and regulations , and motivations salaries and promotions. 6. Variables of sex , qualifications , and age have no effect on male and female teachers' morale. 7. There is a negative correlation between the teachers' level of psychological stress and their morale. The study put forward a number of recommendations and suggestions which aimed at drawing the attention of the officials to teachers' sufferings so as to reduce their effect because they form an active sector in our Palestinian people, and because of the important role they have always been carrying out in building our Palestinian state and preparing for its future.