PERSONALITY TRAITS AND STRESS RESILIENCE AMONG TEACHER COUNSELLORS IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN KAKAMEGA COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

Teacher counsellors with their disparate personality traits encounter stress as they dispatch their noble service of counselling in secondary schools. Managing stress can partially be correlated to their personality traits analogous with their external environment. There is paucity of information on the relationship between personality traits and stress resilience among teacher counsellors in secondary schools. Thus, the purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between personality traits and stress resilience among teacher counsellors in public secondary schools in Kakamega County, Kenya. The study was guided by the General Adaptation Syndrome theory of stress management (GAS) and Seligman’s 3P’s theory of resilience. A Correlational research design was used. The target population was 327 teacher counsellors from the 327 public secondary schools in Kakamega County. Simple random, stratified and purposive sampling methods were used to determine the sample size. The study sample comprised of 181 teacher counsellors. Data was collected by use of questionnaires. A pilot study was carried out in Bungoma County, Kenya. The instruments’ reliability through Cronbach’s coefficient index was found to be α=0.80 and was accepted. The instruments were validated by seeking the opinion of the experts from the Department of Psychology, Laikipia University, where construct and content validity was affirmed. Data was analyzed through Pearson’s correlation. All the Big Five Personality Traits (except conscientiousness) negatively correlated to resilience. The extroversion personality trait was negatively correlated to resilience (r =-0.505, p <.05) and the null hypothesis was rejected. Neuroticism personality traits was negatively correlated to resilience (r= -0.368. p< .05) and the hypothesis was also rejected. Openness personality trait was negatively correlated to resilience (r=-0.176, p <.05) and the null hypothesis was rejected. Agreeableness personality traits was negatively correlated to resilience (r -0.374, p <.05) and the null hypothesis was rejected. Conscientiousness personality trait had no linear relation to resilient(r= 0.000, p >.05) and the hypothesis was not rejected. The study concluded that personality traits are correlated to stress resilience and impact on counselling service delivery. The study recommends more training and empowerment of teacher counsellors to enable them purposefully use their personality traits to enhance their stress resilience in counselling service provision. The findings details intend to assist in the making of policies frame work that would guide properly in the selection, recruitment and motivation of school counsellors. The findings could also contribute to research knowledge about the relationship between personality traits and stress resilience and how this would improve worker morale toward better service provision.