Occupational Stress Factors among Female Educators in IPTA and IPTS in Malaysia: A Comparative Study

Abstract

Background: Occupational stress is an important concern among higher education educators due to increasing academic, administrative, and student-related demands. This study aimed to examine occupational stress factors and perceived stress levels among female educators and compare findings between educators in public (IPTA) and private (IPTS) higher education institutions in Malaysia. Methods: A quantitative, descriptive-comparative cross-sectional study was conducted among 247 female educators, comprising 202 from IPTA and 45 from IPTS. Data were collected using a structured online questionnaire consisting of demographic information, occupational stress factors, and the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and Mann–Whitney U tests were used to analyse the data, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05. Results: Most respondents reported moderate to high perceived stress, with high stress being more prevalent among IPTA educators (55.4%) than IPTS educators (40.0%). Student discipline was the most prominent occupational stressor in both IPTA (73.3%) and IPTS (77.8%). Among IPTA educators, significant associations with perceived stress were found for job overload (p = 0.001), job satisfaction and job security (p = 0.001), job burnout (p = 0.015–0.016), job demand (p = 0.001–0.011), job resources (p = 0.006), financial problems (p = 0.001), and student discipline (p = 0.001–0.002). Among IPTS educators, only financial problems were significantly associated with perceived stress (p = .016–.041). Significant differences between IPTA and IPTS were observed for job overload (p = 0.013), job burnout (p = 0.001), job demand (p = 0.030), financial problems (p = 0.001), and overall perceived stress (p = 0.040). Conclusion: Occupational stress is prevalent among female educators, with both shared and institution-specific stress patterns. Future research should examine larger and more representative samples across multiple institutions using longitudinal or mixed-methods designs.