Student affairs professionals in academic roles: The investigation of stress, job satisfaction and emotional well-being in a private higher educational setting

Abstract

This study focused on the experience of student affairs professionals serving in academically based roles in a private higher education environment. The purpose of the study was to build knowledge of the experience of stress, job satisfaction and emotional well-being in this unique student affairs professional group and identify areas of concern or challenge. General life and occupational stress, job satisfaction and emotional well-being in higher education student affairs professionals in academic roles were investigated. The student affairs sample group was compared to a faculty sample group across each study variable. The findings of the study indicated that significant differences existed between the student affairs and faculty groups in occupational role responsibility, occupational personal strain, occupational physical strain, personal life stress, health life stress, financial life stress, overall total life stress, occupational job stress severity, occupational job pressure severity and health vitality. Significant relationships were found in the student affairs group between higher life stress and lower emotional well-being and lower general health, higher occupational stress (severity, frequency, job pressure and lack of organizational support) and lower emotional well-being and lower general health, higher occupational personal strain and lower emotional well-being and lower general health, higher occupational role conflict and lower emotional well-being and lower general health, and higher use of personal resources and higher levels of emotional well-being and higher general health. The findings assisted in effectively recognizing the differences and relationships that exist for the student affairs professionals in academic roles as compared to faculty. The findings recognized the unique nature of this student affairs role in the experience of stress, job satisfaction, and emotional well-being and provides strong basis for further research in deepening the knowledge of this specific student affairs population.