Effect of Gender and Age on Attitude to Stress Management – A Case Study of Academic Staff in Unical and CRUTECH, Calabar

Abstract

Promoting an effective and sustained stress management strategies is anchored on attitudes of individuals to willingly embrace them and incorporate such strategies in their daily routine. This study examines the influence of age and gender on attitude to stress management. A descriptive survey design was adopted and stratified random sampling was used to select samples from all the faculties in the two Universities. The research question inquired to know to what extent different age brackets and gender differ in their attitudes to stress management. Two hypotheses were raised and tested to ascertain the significant difference between the genders in attitude to stress management. The role of age on attitude to stress management was also examined. Empirical literatures were reviewed to gain some insights into previous findings made and available gaps to be explored. Using a descriptive research design with survey as the research method, a structured questionnaire was administered to 475 lecturers who were selected through a stratified random sampling method. Data were collected on lecturers’ demographic details and attitude to stress management. Findings from this study show that male and female lecturers do not differ significantly in their attitude to stress management. It was also observed that older lecturers have more positive attitude to stress management than the younger ones. This study recommends establishment of structures and programs to encourage all lecturers to be more proactive in their attitudes to stress management. Other recommendations include a look at influencing factors like age and gender in assessing attitude to stress management.