Job-related stress of kindergarten principals in Hong Kong

The present study attempted to document the type and extent of job-related stress experienced by kindergarten principals in Hong Kong and their consequences. A questionnaire was sent to 200 hundred kindgarten principals randomly chosen from among all the operating kindergartens in Hong Kong. The questionnaire assessed the degree to which kindergarten principals have found it stressful in various aspects of their work. A total of 124 principals returned the questionnaire. The results indicated that the principals found it moderating stressful (M = 5 to 6 on 11-point scales) in relating to external bodies, in being able to handle diverse areas of their work on time, in supervising and monitoring teachers' performance, and in promoting a sense of mission in their teachers. However, the principals found it most stressul (M = 7.04) in increasing or maintaining student intake, and in maintaining financial viability of the school. Correlational analyses revealed that job-related stress was inversely associated with job satisfaction (r = -.309, p<.01), but positively associated with various indicators of negative affects. The implications of the results are discussed.