Existence of professional stress in the career of university teachers in Angola, myth or reality? A case study under the career stages approach
Keywords:
Stress, Career, Career stages, Interview, Qualitative approachAbstract
This study aims to identify stress across different stages of the teaching career: exploration, development, routine, and disengagement. Using a non-probabilistic sample of 20 university lecturers, the research employed semi-structured interviews to collect qualitative data, based on a previously tested interview guide. The results indicate that stress intensity varies according to the career stage. At the exploration stage, lecturers reported high levels of stress due to workload overload, contradictory demands, and lack of task clarity. At the development stage, workload overload was also acknowledged, but lecturers felt the need to demonstrate competence, although their autonomy was limited. At the routine stage, despite the workload, social support was present, which reduced stress intensity. At the disengagement stage, stress levels were low, reflecting decreased interest and frustration. It is concluded that stress is more intense in the early stages of the career (exploration and development) and decreases during the routine and disengagement phases, suggesting the need for institutional policies of support, monitoring, and role clarification, particularly targeted at early-career lecturers, as a strategy to promote well-being and professional effectiveness.
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