Abstract
Positive associations between job strain and turnover among teachers have been made from time to
time. The current study was intended to investigate the mediating role of depression, anxiety and
stress between job strain and turnover intentions among male and female teachers. The same
mediation was thought as a knowledge gap for investigating teachers’ job strain and turnover. The
inquiry included 131 conveniently selected male and female teachers from public and private
educational institutions of Pakistan. The instruments for the study included Depression Anxiety and
Stress Scale (Lovibond & Lovibond, 1995), Turnover Intention Scale of The Michigan Organizational
Assessment Questionnaire (Cammann, Fichman, Jenkins & Klesh, 1979), The Job Strain Scale (Parker &
DeCotiis, 1983) and a Demographic Information Questionnaire. The study assumed the mediating role
of depression, anxiety and stress as important determinants for turnover intentions among teachers
with job strain. The findings proved this assumption to be in the positive direction as the results
revealed the mediating effects of depression, anxiety and stress between job strain and turnover
intentions. Additionally, male teachers were found to be more inclined towards turnover due to job
strain as compared with female teachers. Moreover, job stress had more moderating effect on the
levels of stress in female teachers and on the levels of depression and anxiety in male teachers. The
study suggested that teachers, especially the newly hired, should be screened for possible mental
health related problems and their problems should be addressed in the greater interest of education
sector.
