Relationship between organizational and psychological characteristics of general secondary education institutions and headmasters' coping strategies

Abstract

Introduction. The use of adequate stress-coping strategies by the headmasters of general secondary education institutions involves the study of these institutions' organizational and psychological characteristics that affect headmasters' choice of stress-coping strategies. Methods. The following instruments were used to collect and analyze data «How is your organization developing?» (V. Siegert, L. Lang, modification by L. Karamushka), «A Method of research into coping behavior in stressful situations» (S. Norman, D. Endler, D. James, M. Parker; adaptation by T. Krukova), and a passport-questionnaire. Aim: to analyze the relationship between organizational and psychological characteristics of general secondary education institutions and headmasters' stress-coping strategies. Results. Statistically significant relationships, both positive and negative, have been found between the organizational and psychological characteristics of general secondary education institutions and their headmasters' stress-coping strategies. It was shown that the higher the level of organizational development of general secondary education institutions, the more frequently their headmasters used such a coping strategy as social support seeking, but as the number of headmasters in one institution increased, the frequency of use of this coping strategy decreased. It was also shown that as the administrative status of the town/city where the general secondary education institution was located increased, the frequency of headmasters' use of such coping strategies as avoidance and distraction increased, too. Conclusions. The findings can be helpful in managing general secondary education institutions, in particular, in headmasters' choosing adequate stress-coping strategies.