Keyword: social support

ABSTRACT: The extent to which lecturers’ age, gender, marital status, educational qualification, and academic rank are associated with stress management among university lecturers in Nigeria was examined in this study using a multivariate approach. A cross-sectional survey design was employed, with a multistage stratified sample of 10,350 lecturers drawn from federal, state, and private universities. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire based on established measures, including selected subscales from the Brief COPE, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and recovery and appraisal measures adapted from established frameworks. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and Tukey’s HSD post-hoc tests were conducted, with partial η² reported as effect sizes (p < .05). Statistically significant multivariate associations were observed for all variables with the combined stress management outcomes (p < .001). Academic rank and age had the largest effects (ηP2 ≈ .099–.102), followed by educational qualification (ηP2  = .086), while gender (ηP2  = .060) and marital status (ηP2  = .048) had smaller effects. Higher mean scores across the stress management dimensions were observed among younger lecturers. Male lecturers had slightly higher mean scores in cognitive appraisal and self-recovery, although gender differences were generally small. Higher mean scores in social support, adaptive coping, and self-recovery were observed among divorced lecturers, noting the small size of this subgroup. Lecturers with doctoral qualifications had higher mean scores in stress awareness and adaptive coping, while senior academics had higher mean scores in social support and cognitive appraisal. Pairwise group differences were identified across several dimensions, although most effects were small to moderate in magnitude. The pattern of results indicates that variation in stress management is more strongly associated with career stage and position within the academic system than with personal characteristics alone. Implications point to the need for strengthened institutional support, particularly for early-career and lower-ranked staff, alongside consideration of group differences in the design of interventions aimed at improving well-being and productivity.