Stresses and Satisfactions of Chairing in Psychology

• Published in: Professional psychology, research and practice research and practice, 1986-06, Vol.17 (3), p.200-204
• Main Authors: Boice, Robert, Myers, Patricia E
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Educational psychology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Graduate Psychology Education; Human; Job Satisfaction; Occupational Stress; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; School Administrators
• ISSN: 0735-7028; 1939-1323
• DOI: 10.1037/0735-7028.17.3.200

A questionnaire was sent to 174 chairpersons in doctoral-level psychology departments that requested them to (a) estimate the time breakdown of a typical work week (e.g., 13 hr on paperwork/budgeting) and the sacrifices of becoming chairs (e.g., reduced research/writing), (b) rate satisfactions of chairing (e.g., being an advocate for faculty with administrators), (c) rate stresses of chairing (e.g., faculty misbehaviors), (d) estimate the mental health problems of their faculty (e.g., alcoholism) and judge their own strengths (e.g., approachability) and failures (e.g., not finding happiness in chairing). In some dimensions in which chairpersons rated themselves most effective (e.g., advocacy and approachability), they suspected that faculty were most likely to disapprove of their efforts. Despite the stresses, misunderstandings, and limited satisfactions of chairing, 66% of the respondents supposed they would take the job again, knowing what they knew at the time of the questionnaire. Most chairpersons in psychology seemed to have developed healthy mechanisms of coping with job stresses (e.g., reaction), but a disturbing number admitted strategies such as avoidance, substance abuse, and anger.