Spousal Support and Workplace Adjustment of Secondary School Teachers in Uyo Local Government of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study investigated the relationship between spousal support and workplace adjustment of secondary school teachers in the Uyo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Three research questions and three null hypotheses guided the conduct of the study. A correlational research design was adopted for the study. The population of the study was 917 married teachers in 15 public secondary schools in Uyo Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. A sample of 345 married teachers was selected for the study using a simple random sampling technique. A researcher-made instrument, titled “Spousal Support and Workplace Adjustment Questionnaire” (SSWAQ), was used for data collection. The instrument was face validated while its internal consistency reliability was established, and a reliability coefficient of .71 was obtained by applying the Cronbach's alpha statistic. The Pearson product-moment correlation statistic was used to answer the research questions and also test their corresponding hypotheses. All the hypotheses were tested at the .05 level of significance, while all data were subjected to analysis using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS). Analysis of data revealed that instrumental support and appraisal support are positively and significantly related to workplace adjustment of secondary school teachers. Moreover, no significant relationship was found between informational support and workplace adjustment of secondary school teachers. Based on the findings of the study, three relevant recommendations were made, among which is that school principals in Akwa Ibom State should conduct quarterly appraisal meetings where teachers receive verbal commendation, clear feedback on strengths, and targeted guidance on areas that need improvement.