The relationship between the styles of coping with stress and the levels of hopelessness of preschool teachers

Abstract

The main aim of this research is to examine the relationship between the styles of coping with stress and the levels of hopelessness of preschool teachers. Relational survey method was used in this research. The research sample consists of 108 preschool teachers working in preschool education institutions in Küçükçekmece district of Istanbul in the spring term of 2015-2016 and selected by the random sampling method. The Teacher Information Form, Styles of Coping with Stress Scale and Beck Hopelessness Scale were used in the data collection. Data collected for the study were analysed using SPSS 20 program. At the end of the research, it was found out that the most used sytle by preschool teachers to cope with stress is the self-confident approach and the least used style is the submissive approach. As the preference rates of the self-confident approach and optimistic approach in coping with stress of preschool teachers increase, the level of hopelessness decreases; as the preference rates of the helpless approach increase, the levels of hopelessness increase. The styles of coping with stress and the levels of hopelessness of preschool teachers do not vary by age, marital status, professional seniority, the number of children they have, the level of income and the school type that they work in.