Exploring workplace environmental factors affecting female academics' psychological resilience: a mixed methods sequential explanatory study.
Abstract
A review of the relevant extant literature suggested that Higher Education Institutions [HEIs]
are heavily dependent on the psychological resilience [PR] of academic staff members to
achieve excellence in teaching and learning. However, there is a dearth of research that
focuses specifically on the PR of female academics [FAs] in the context of workplace
environmental factors [WEFs] in South African HEIs. In response, this study was conducted
to identify some of the most prevalent WEFs-related adversities that may put FAs at risk for
high levels of negative mental health outcomes [NMHOs], and the fundamental building blocks
of psychological resilience [BBPRs] that FAs may exhibit in response to WEFs-related
NMHOs.
A mixed method sequential explanatory approach within the pragmatism paradigm was applied
in this study. Through this approach, a sample of 135 FAs was drawn from the University of
KwaZulu-Natal [UKZN] to participate in the dominant quantitative phase. Of the 135 FAs, 27
FAs were purposefully selected to participate in the follow-up qualitative phase. Informed
consent was obtained from all FAs/participants prior to participation in this study. The
quantitative and qualitative data were collected using online self-report surveys and indepth/
semi-structured interviews respectively; and subsequently analysed using Stata and
Thematic Analysis, respectively.
Primarily, the results of the study indicated that administrative demands and skewed
workloads; research demands; teaching demands; and compensation and rewards were reported
as the highest WEFs causing NMHOs. However, knowledge, skill, and ability [KSAs];
coaching support; professional and personal networking; and mentoring support were ranked
as the lowest WEFs causing NMHOs. Generally, as a group, while participants reported
having positive experiences towards the BBPRs [i.e., neuroticism, mindfulness, self-efficacy,
and coping]; the majority of participants expressed experiencing high levels of NMHOs [i.e.,
stress, burnout, depression, anxiety, and compassion fatigue]. Overall, this study concluded
that the PR of FAs depended crucially on individual factors [i.e., demographic characteristics]
and work-related factors [i.e., support from the university management and human resource
management [HRM]. The conceptual, theoretical, methodological, and empirical
contributions made by this study are discussed; limitations and delimitations are
acknowledged; and recommendations for UKZN management and HRM, and future research
are proposed.