The effects of school climate on high school teacher stress and self-efficacy in Ho Chi Minh City

Abstract

This study applies a Variance-Based Structural Equation Modelling, to preliminarily assess the School Level Environment Questionnaire (SLEQ) in the context of high school education in Vietnam. The paper then identified school climate factors affecting teacher self-efficacy and stress. Also, the study was conducted to test the relationship between stress and teacher self-efficacy. Data were collected from 628 high school teachers in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Of school climate factors, the study shows that affiliation, innovation, and professional interest had a positive direct impact on teacher self-efficacy and that student conduct and staff autonomy had a negative direct impact on their perceived stress. This study also confirms that work pressure of school climate had a positive direct impact on teacher stress beliefs. Surprisingly, staff autonomy had a positive direct impact on teacher self-efficacy and a negative direct impact on teacher stress. Practically, these findings suggest that to improve teachers’ sense of efficacy, high school leaders in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam can take action to improve a supportive school climate by focussing on affiliation. This study also reflects the efforts of Vietnam in its education reform which also requires teacher efforts in changing teaching methods through continuous professional development. In addition to the development of a supportive school climate, staff autonomy is also a concern requiring consideration to reduce stress for teachers, which was not reported elsewhere. Theoretically, this study contributes to the inconclusive relation between the three constructs: school climate, teacher stress, and self-efficacy.