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This study examined the influence of personal factors, school factors and practices performed on job stress and satisfaction. Quantitative research design and purposive sampling method were employed to sample school heads from senior high schools. Data was collected using a self-reported survey questionnaire and was analysed using exploratory, confirmatory and regression analysis to explore the relationships. In the results a high proportion of school heads are satisfied but feel stressed about their job and age, type of school, experience, position and practices performed, had a varied influence on job stress and job satisfaction. The authors advised on building the capacity of school heads in improving their health and performance.

The purpose of this study is to examine the level of implementing reform practices and their resulting stress and to explore the influence of age, gender, school type and tracking type on performing reform practices and the perceived stress in implementing reforms among school leaders. A quantitative research design was used with respondents sampled from among senior high school heads. The data were analysed using multinomial logistic regression to examine the influence of demographic (age and gender) and school variables (school type and tracking type) on implementing reform and its perceived stressfulness. The findings showed that on implementing reforms and its inherent stressfulness, a majority of school heads ‘always’ perform reform duties and a greater proportion reported high-stress levels in implementing reforms from 'somewhat causes’ stress to ‘causes great’ stress. Regarding demographic and school variables, age was a significant negative predictor of implementing reforms, indicating that younger heads were more likely to perform reform functions than older heads while school type significantly influences stress level in implementing reforms, implying that heads in boarding schools were more likely to experience higher stress levels in implementing reforms than heads in day schools. The authors recommended continuous in-service training for school heads, the practice of distributive leadership style and provision of infrastructure to phase out the double-track (shift system) in some schools. Received: 4 June 2020 / Accepted: 20 August 2021 / Published: 5 September 2021

This study is part of a project investigating school heads’ practices and factors influencing them. The dearth of empirical research on school heads’ practices, their perceived stressfulness and how enjoyable practices performed are necessitated this study. School heads’ practices were examined using a convenient sample of senior high school heads and assistants in Ghana with appropriate statistical tools (exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis and multinomial logistics regression). The findings revealed 22 activities that defined school heads’ practices. Regarding those activities, ‘organising information sessions with parents’ and ‘cooperating with organisations’ were least performed while activities related to counselling and administration, which were perceived as stressful, were performed equally. In total, practices perceived as stressful and enjoyable were performed more, while practices enjoyed significantly influenced the performance of practices in general. In practice, the knowledge of stressful and enjoyable practices guarantees the initiation of a suitable coping strategy than being ignorant, thereby improving school leadership and the health of school heads.

The study investigated the influence of religion and locus of control on perception of mental illness. Specifically, the study explored the relationship between religiosity and perception of mental illness, differences in perception by internals and externals, the effect of knowledge on perception of mental illness and the interactive effect of religiosity and locus of control on perception of mental illness. Data were collected from 200 participants in the Volta Region of Ghana. Three hypotheses were tested in the study using a battery of tests. It was observed that people with internal locus of control perceive mental patients positively than those with external locus of control. A significant interactive effect between religiosity and locus of control on perception of mental illness was observed. Religiosity significantly relates to perception of mental illness. The results and implications are discussed for further studies.