OCCUPATIONAL STRESS AMONG FEMALE FACULTY IN HIGHER EDUCATION: THE ROLE OF COPING STRATEGIES AND ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORT

Occupational stress among female faculty has emerged as a critical concern in higher education institutions, particularly within resource-constrained academic environments (Barkhuizen & Rothmann, 2008; Shen & Slater, 2021). While prior research documents the prevalence of stress in academic professions, limited empirical attention has been given to the combined role of individual coping strategies and organizational support in shaping stress experiences from a gendered organizational perspective (García-González & Torrano, 2020; Lease, 1999). Drawing on Transactional Stress Theory (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984), Conservation of Resources Theory (Hobfoll, 1989), and Gender Role Theory (Eagly, 1987), this study examines occupational stress and stress management among female faculty members.Primary data were collected from 100 female faculty members employed in higher education institutions. Using a structured questionnaire, the study employed confirmatory factor analysis, correlation analysis, multiple regression, moderation analysis, and group comparisons to examine relationships among occupational stress, coping strategies, and perceived organizational support. The results indicate that occupational stress is negatively associated with both coping strategies and organizational support, consistent with prior research suggesting that supportive institutional environments and effective coping mechanisms can reduce stress outcomes among academic staff (Shen & Slater, 2021; Barkhuizen & Rothmann, 2008).