The Relationship Between Stressors, Work-Family Conflict, and Burnout Among Female Teachers ...

228 Pages·2015·2.17 MB·English

The Relationship Between Stressors, Work-Family Conflict,
and Burnout Among Female Teachers in Kenyan Urban Schools
By
Gladys Muasya

A Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree
Doctor of Philosophy

Approved June 2015 by the
Graduate Supervisory Committee:

Judith Martin, Chair
Paul Mongeau
Fred Walumbwa

ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY
August 2015
ABSTRACT

This study investigated work-family conflict and related phenomena reported by
female teachers in primary and secondary schools in Kenya. Specifically, it sought to first
identify general work and family stressors and profession specific stressors, and how
these stressors influenced teachers’ work-family conflict (WFC) and burnout. Second, it
investigated whether support from home and work reduced these teachers’ perceived
work-family conflict and burnout. Third, it investigated the impact of marital status,
number and ages of children, length of teaching experience, and school location (city vs
town) on perceived work-family conflict (WFC).
In this study, 375 female teachers from Nairobi and three towns completed a
survey questionnaire with both closed- and open-ended questions. Data analysis was
conducted through descriptive and inferential statistics, and content analyses of
qualitative data. There were five primary findings. (1) Teachers clearly identified and
described stressors that led to work-family conflict: inability to get reliable support from
domestic workers, a sick child, high expectations of a wife at home, high workloads at
school and home, low schedule flexibility, and number of days teachers spend at school
beyond normal working hours, etc.
(2) Work-family conflict experienced was cyclical in nature. Stressors influenced
WFC, which led to adverse outcomes. These outcomes later acted as secondary stressors.
(3) The culture of the school and school’s resources influenced the level of support that
teachers received. The level of WFC support that teachers received depended on the
goodwill of supervisors and colleagues.
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(4) Work-family conflict contributed to emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and
professional efficacy. Time and emotional investment in students’ parents was related to
emotional exhaustion; time and emotional investment in students’ behavior, the number
of years teaching experience, and number of children were related to professional
efficacy. Support from teachers’ spouses enabled teachers to cope with cynicism.
(5) While marital status did not influence WFC, school location did; teachers in
Nairobi experienced more WFC than those in small towns. The study highlighted the
importance of culture in studies of work-family conflict, as some of the stressors and
WFC experiences identified seemed unique to the Kenyan context. Finally, theoretical
implications, policy recommendations, and further research directions are presented.

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DEDICATION

I dedicate this project to my beloved husband Daniel Nzengya, my children Victor
Mwendwa and Victoria Mwende, my mother Dorothy Mbuvi, and my siblings Joyce
Mbuvi and Michael Mutua. Without their support, this journey of learning would
have been difficult to accomplish.
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This dissertation is a culmination of four years of study and input from
various stakeholders, to whom I feel indebted. My dissertation committee has been
immensely supportive. My chair Dr. Judith Martin has been my mentor for the four
years in graduate school; she taught me scholarly writing and stood with me during
difficult times. Dr. Mongeau taught me how to analyze and interpret quantitative data,
and he always extended an open door for me. I also owe my success to Dr. Fred
Walumbwa, who encouraged me to apply for graduate school and supported me as I
navigated through it. Finally, I owe my gratitude to the Hugh Downs School of
Communication and the Sustainability Consortium for funding my study at Arizona State
University.
I acknowledge the support of my husband Daniel Nzengy’a, who invested his
time and resources to see me excel at graduate school. He took care of our two children
when I spent endless hours writing my dissertation. I acknowledge the support of my two
children Victor Muasya and Victoria Muasya for their understanding during the long
periods mum was away writing dissertation. I acknowledge the support of St. Paul’s
University, and in particular Dr. Charity Irungu, for assisting in the data collection
process in Kenya.
I acknowledge the support of my church, The Door Christian Fellowship, and the
students and staff of the International Student Club who were my second family while at
ASU. I appreciate my friends Debra, Victoria, Leslie, Esther, and Lydia for their
encouragement and prayers while at ASU. Finally, I give glory and praise to my Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ, who saw me through graduate school.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................................................... v
LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................................................... vi
CHAPTER
1. INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………………………………………...1
My Interest in Work-Family Studies……………………………………………...1
Background Information………………………………………………………..…8
Rationale of the Study…………………………………………………………....11
Context of Work- Family Conflict Study in Kenya ……………………………..14
Education development in Kenya………………………………………………..14
Teaching in Kenya. ……………………………………………………………...16
The Kenyan Work and Family Culture...………………………………………...18
2. LITERATURE REVIEW.……………………..……………………………………………………...21
Research in Work and Family Interface…………………………………………21
Theoretical Foundation…………………………………………………………..21
Causes of Work-Family Conflict………………………………………………...33
Burnout ………………………………………………………………………….45
Research Questions and Hypotheses ……………………………………………48
3. METHODOLOGY……………………………………………………………………………………....50
Participants and Procedure…………………………………………………….....50
Measures ………….…………………………………………………….............. 51
4. DATA ANALYSIS......……………………………………………………………………………..…...55
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CHAPTER Page
Section 1: Overview of Data Analysis and Descriptive Statistics……………….55
Section 2: Stressors and Work-family Conflict Results…...…………………….63
Section 3: Support Variables and Work-Family Conflict……………….………91
Section 4: Burnout and Work-Family conflict …………………………………115
5. DISCUSSION.……..……………………...………………………………………………………. ….131
Section1: Stressors and Work-Family Conflict………………………………...131
Section 2: Work-Family Conflict and Various Forms of Support……………..150
Section3: Work-Family Conflict, Support and Burnout………………………..163
6. SUMMARY.……………………………………………………………………………………………168
Key Findings…………………………………………...……………………….168
Contribution to Theory…………………………………………………………173
Policy Implications……………………………………………………………..180
Study Limitations ……………………………………………………………....182
Conclusion and Future Research………………………………………………..183
REFERENCES.....………….…………............................................................................................................ 186
APPENDIX
A ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW BOARD.…. 200
B MINISTRY OF EDUCATION SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY APPROVAL..…. 202
C INFORMATIONAL LETTER FOR HEAD TEACHERS …..………………………204
D SURVEY……….…………………….………………………………………….………………. 206

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LIST OF TABLES
Table Page
1. Descriptive Data......................................................................................................………………….. 61
2. Decriptive and Inter-Correlations Among the Stressors...........................................…..216
3. Teachers Stressors Outcomes and WFC ….............................................................…………217
4. The Relationship Between Number of Children, Age of the Oldest Child, and
WFC………………....................................................................................................……………………...79
5. Generic Work and Family Stressors and Teachers' Specific Stressors and
Time WIF ...................................................................................................................…………………..85
6. Generic Work and Family Stressors and Teachers' Specific Stressors and
Time FIW…………....................................................................................................…………………….87
7. Generic Work and Fmily Stressors and Teachers' Specific Stressors and
Strain WIF....………..….............................................................................................…………………..89
8. Generic Work and Family Stressors and Teachers' Specific Stressors and
Strain FIW…………...................................................................................................…………………..90
9. Forms of Support and Time WIF ..............................................................................…………… 92
10. Forms of Support and Time FIW...............................................................................…………….93
11. Forms of Support and StrainWIF…………………...................................................…………….94
12. Forms of Support and Strain FIW……………………………………….………………………….95
13. Supervisor Support....................................................................................................………………100
14. Support from Colleagues .........................................................................................……………. 103
15. Spousal Support........................................................................................................………………..106
16. Domestic Worker Support.........................................................................................……………109
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Table Page
17. Family Member Support............................................................................................…………….112
18. Far Family Neighbors and Friends Support.............................................................……….115
19. Stressors and Emotional Exhaustion ........................................................................……… 121
20. Stressors and Cynicism.............................................................................................……………...122
21. Stressors and Professional Efficacy..........................................................................………….124
22. Social Support and Emotional Exhaustion.............................................................………..126
23. Social Support and Cynicism....................................................................................…………….127
24 Social Support and Professional Efficacy.................................................................………..128

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LIST OF FIGURES
Figure Page
1. The Cyclical Nature of Work-Family Conflict.....................................................…....169
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