Coping with occupational stress in an open distance learning university in South Africa

The study explored the occupational stressors experienced by academics employed by open distance learning (ODL) institutions and their coping strategies. The participants were a convenience sample of 305 academics from an ODL university in South Africa (female = 64.3%; median age = 45.5 years). The participants were mostly lecturers who had been employed in higher education for more than 10 years. The participants completed The Comprehensive Coping Strategies Questionnaire. Multiple regression analysis revealed successful coping with occupational stress using cognitive coping, social support coping, and vacation time. The findings suggest a need for stress management practices to mitigate occupational stress among academics and promote the adoption of adaptive coping strategies.