A psycho-educational comparison of stress among grade 12 learners in suburban and township schools

Abstract

The aim of this study was to identify and compare the experiences of stress among Grade 12 learners in suburban and township schools. The positivist research paradigm was employed. The researcher followed a quantitative approach. The study sample comprised 360 participants who completed a questionnaire consisting of 53 closed-ended questions and an open-ended question which required them to state other experiences of stress that were not mentioned in the closed-ended questions. The participants were purposefully selected from four suburban and five township schools in Gauteng province, South Africa. Descriptive statistics, such as frequencies, means, medians, and standard deviations, were used to summarise all the sections of the questionnaire. Validity and reliability of the questionnaire were confirmed by means of exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and Cronbach’s alpha. The EFA results revealed the following stress factors that were identified by the participating Grade 12 learners in this study: school environment; socio-economic factors; uncertainty about the future; parental pressure; external pressure; peer pressure; familial support; intrapersonal; school environment; and learning and development. The top experiences of stress that were identified by both groups were uncertainty about the future; academic pressure; external pressure; familial support; and learning and development. The experiences of stress that were of lesser concern to both groups were peer pressure, school environment, and parental pressure. An independent T-test and the Wilcoxon rank-sum test were conducted in order to establish the differences between Grade 12 learners in suburban and township schools with regard to their experiences of stress. The results were as follows: statistically significant (p<0.05) differences were found with regard to socio-economic, peer pressure, familial support, academic-related and uncertainty about the future stress factors. Also, non-significant differences (p>0.05) were found between the two settings with regard to external pressure, school environment, learning and development, and parental pressure stress factors. Recommendations are made for Grade 12 learners and other stakeholders (educators and parents) in suburban and township schools to help prevent and manage stress among Grade 12 learners. It is hoped that these recommendations will help stakeholders and will advance knowledge on the prevention and management of stress among Grade 12 learners.

Injongo yesi sifundo yayikukuchonga nokuthelekisa amava oxinzelelo nokuxhalaba kubafundi beBanga le-12 kwizikolo zasezidolophini nasezilokishini. Isifundo sakhelwe kwindlela yophando ekholelwa ekubeni ukuze kuqondwe kakuhle ukuziphatha kwabantu kufuneka kubekho uqwalaselo nozathuzo. Uphando luqhutywe ngokuqwalasela amanani, apho isifundo sisebenzise abathathi nxaxheba abangama-360 nabaphenduliswa imibuzo engama-53 eneempendulo ezithe ngqo (imibuzo evalekileyo) kunye nomnye umbuzo onokuphenduleka ngokwembono yomphenduli (umbuzo ovulekileyo), apho kwakufuneka banike ingxelo ngamava abo oxinzelelo nokuxhalaba (angachazwanga kwimibuzo evalekileyo). Abathathi nxaxheba bakhethwa ngobuchule kwizikolo ezine zasezidolophini nakwezihlanu zasezilokishini kwiphondo laseGauteng, eMzantsi Afrika. Kwasetyenziswa iindlela zobalo ezichazayo ezifana nokubalwa kwexesha lezihlandlo ekuqwalaselwe ngazo, ebizwa ngegama lesiNgesi elithi frequencies, umndilili (means), esona sibalo sikholise ukufumaneka embinini (medians) kunye nokubalwa kwamanani abonisa umahluko (standard deviations) xa kwakushwankathelwa onke amacandelo ephepha loluhlu lwemibuzo. Ukufaneleka nokuthembeka kwaqinisekiswa ngokusebenzisa uhlalutyo olwaziwa ngokuba yiexploratory factor analysis (EFA) kunye neCronbach’s alpha. Iziphumo zeEFA zadiza ukuba abafundi beBanga le-12 bachonga ezi mbangi zoxinzelelo nenkxalabo: imeko engqonge isikolo, iimeko zentlalo noqoqosho, ukungaqiniseki ngekamva, uxinzelelo oluvela kubazali, uxinzelelo oluvela ngaphandle, uxinzelelo oluvela kubahlobo, inkxaso yosapho, imiba engaphakathi emntwini, kwakunye nokufunda nophuhliso. Awona mava oxinzelelo aphambili kuwo omabini amaqela asezidolophini nasezilokishini yaba kukungaqiniseki ngekamva, uxinzelelo lokuqhuba kakuhle ezifundweni, uxinzelelo oluvela ngaphandle, inkxaso yosapho, kwakunye nokufunda nophuhliso. Amava oxinzelelo nenkxalabo angafaki xinzelelo kakhulu kuwo omabini amaqela asezidolophini nasezilokishini yaba luxinzelelo oluvela kubahlobo, imeko engqonge isikolo kunye noxinzelelo oluvela kubazali. Ngokusebenzisa iinkqubo zobalo zovavanyo oluzimeleyo oluyi T-test kunye noluyi Wilcoxon Ranked Test ekumiseleni umahluko kumava ala maqela mabini, kwafunyaniswa ezi ziphumo: umahluko obalulekileyo (p<05) wafumaneka kwimiba yezentlalo noqoqosho, uxinzelelo lwabahlobo, inkxaso yosapho, imiba enxulumene nezemfundo kunye nokungaqiniseki ngekamva. Umahluko ongabalulekanga (p>05) wafumaneka kuxinzelelo lwangaphandle, kwimeko engqonge isikolo, kwimfundo nophuhliso kunye noxinzelelo lwabazali. Esi sifundo sinikezela amacebo abalulekileyo kubafundi nabanye abachaphazelekayo kwezemfundo (abasemagunyeni, ootitshala kunye nabazali) ekuncedeni ukuba kuthintelwe okanye kulawulwe uxinzelelo nenkxalabo kubafundi beBanga le-12.

Ndivho ya ngudo iyi ho vha u topola na u vhambedza tshenzhemo ya mutsiko vhukati ha vhagudiswa vha Gireidi ya 12 zwikoloni zwa vhupo ha tshikolobulasi na kha nyingadorobo. Ngudo yo bviselwa khagala nga u talutshedza na u humbulela. Hu tshi khou shumiswa kuitele kwa khwanthethivi sa ngona ya thodisiso, thodisiso yo katela vhadzheneleli vha 360 vhe vha dadza mbudzisambekanywa dzo bveledzwaho nga mbudziso dza 53 dzi re na phindulo dzine dza pimea na nthihi yo engedzwaho, ya mbudziso pfufhi u vha tendela u vhiga nga ha tshenzhemo ya mutsiko (u songo bulwaho kha mbudziso dzi re ne na phindulo dzine dza pimea) Vhadzheneleli vho nangwa hu na zwe zwa sedzwa khazwo u bva kha zwikolo zwina zwa vhuponi ha kha nyingadorobo na zwitanu zwa vhuponi ha tshikolobulasi vunduni la Gauteng, Afrika Tshipembe. Zwitatisitika zwa mbuletshedzo thukhu u fana na tshivhalo, ndila, tshikati na u fhambana ha zwilinganyo zwo shumiswa u nweledza khethekanyo dzothe dza mbudzisambekanywa. U tevhekana ha mielo na u tea ha mielo zwo khwathisedzwa nga ndila ya u nweledza data na (EFA) na Cronbach’s alpha. Mvelelo dza EFA dzo wanulusa uri vhagudi vha Gireidi ya 12 vho topola zwitaluli zwi tevhelaho zwa mutsiko: vhupo ha tshikolo, zwitaluli zwa ikonomi ya matshilisano, u sa khwathisedzwa nga ha vhumatshelo, mutsiko wa vhabebi, mutsiko u no bva nnda, mutsiko wa thangana ya murole, thikhedzo ya muta, mafhungo a vhushaka na vhaṅwe, u guda na mveledziso. Tshenzhemo dza nthesa dza mutsiko dzine vhuvhili ha zwigwada zwa vhuponi ha nyingadorobo na tshikolobulasi dzo vhiga, ndi u sa khwathisedzwa nga ha vhumatshelo, mutsiko wa akademi, mutsiko une wa bva nnda, thikhedzo ya muta, na u guda na mveledziso. Idzo tshenzhemo dza mutsiko dze dza sa tou vhilaedzisa nga maanda vhukati ha vhuvhili ha zwigwada ho vha mutsiko wa thanga ya murole, vhupo ha tshikolo na mutsiko wa vhabebi. Musi ho no shumiswa maitele a sitasitikhala o diimisaho nga othe a T-test na Wilcoxon Ranked Test u bveledza phambano kha tshenzhemo ya zwigwada zwivhili, mvelelo dzo tevhelaho dzo rekhodiwa: ho wanala phambano ya ndeme ya sitatisitika (p<0.05) zwi tshi da kha mafhungo a zwa matshilisano a ikonomi, mutsiko wa thanga ya murole, thikhedzo ya muta, zwitaluli zwi elanaho na mutsiko wa akademi na u sa khwathisedzwa nga ha vhumatshelo. Ho bveledzwa phambano i si na ndeme ya (p>0.05) nga mutsiko wa nnda, vhupo ha tshikolo, u guda na mveledziso, mutsiko wa vhabebi. Thodisiso yo netshedza themendelo dza ndeme kha vhagudiswa na vhadzhiamikovhe vha pfunzo vhothe (vhaofisiri, vhadededzi na vhabebi) u thusa u thivhela na u langula mutsiko vhukati ha Vhagudiswa vha Gireidi 12.