TTLV: Occupational pressure on preschool teachers (research conducted in Cau Giay district, Hanoi city)

INFORMATION ABOUT THE MASTER'S THESIS

1. Student's full name: Ta Thi Ha Ly 2. Gender: Female

3. Date of birth: October 10, 1999

4. Place of birth: Ninh Binh

5. Decision No. 5626/QD-XHNV dated December 29, 2023, of the Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, recognizing the student.

6. Changes in the training process: Decision No. 9028/QD-XHNV dated December 23, 2025

7. Thesis title: Occupational pressure on preschool teachers (research conducted in Cau Giay district, Hanoi city)

8. Major: Sociology; Code: 8310301

9. Scientific Advisor: Dr. Nguyen Thi Lan – Lecturer, Faculty of Sociology and Social Work, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi

10. Summary of the thesis results:

This thesis examines a highly topical and practically significant issue in the context of current urban education: the professional pressure faced by preschool teachers in Cau Giay District, Hanoi. Through a combination of quantitative and qualitative research methods, using theoretically sound and internationally referenced scales, the thesis comprehensively clarifies the current situation, extent, and influencing factors of professional pressure among preschool teachers.

Research results show that the occupational pressure of preschool teachers exists at a relatively high and multidimensional level, consisting of five main groups: (1) pressure from children's behavior and needs; (2) pressure from parents' expectations; (3) pressure from emotional labor and role conflicts; (4) pressure from workload and working conditions; and (5) pressure from organization and management. These pressure groups do not exist independently but are intertwined and interact with each other, increasing the overall stress level of teachers during their work.

The analysis results also indicate that occupational pressure differs among groups of teachers. Specifically, private preschool teachers experience higher pressure regarding job requirements and parental expectations, while public school teachers face heavier pressure in terms of administrative and managerial demands. Simultaneously, the level of pressure is also influenced by personal factors such as seniority, family circumstances, and work environment. Notably, occupational pressure tends to increase with seniority, reflecting the accumulation of stress during the course of their work.

A key finding of this thesis is the clarification of the prominent role of emotional labor and role conflict in the early childhood education profession. Teachers not only perform the function of teaching but also must constantly manage their emotions, maintain a positive attitude, and meet expectations from multiple sources. Furthermore, the majority of teachers are women raising young children, leading to a "double burden" as they simultaneously fulfill professional and family roles, increasing psychological pressure.

Combining quantitative data with in-depth interviews enabled the thesis to not only measure the level of pressure but also explain the actual experiences of teachers, thereby clearly reflecting the picture of occupational pressure in a specific context.

Key new results/contributions of the thesis:

This study systematizes and measures the occupational stress of preschool teachers according to five specific stress groups, suitable for the research context in Cau Giay district.

Clarifying the central role of emotional labor and role conflict as a specific form of pressure in the early childhood education profession contributes to supplementing domestic research that has paid little attention to this aspect.

This study highlights the simultaneous impact of personal factors (seniority, family background) and organizational factors (work environment, management requirements), thereby approaching occupational pressure from a multi-dimensional rather than a single perspective.

This study provides empirical evidence on the differences in pressure levels between public and private school teachers, contributing to a clearer understanding of the characteristics of educational institutions in an urban context.

By effectively combining quantitative and qualitative methods, it helps to both measure the level of pressure and provide insightful explanations of teachers' real-life experiences.

11. Practical applications:

The research findings provide an important basis for preschools and management agencies to fully identify sources of occupational pressure on teachers. Based on this, appropriate solutions can be developed, such as adjusting workload, improving working conditions, streamlining administrative requirements, and enhancing psychological support for teachers. Simultaneously, the research provides practical arguments for improving the effectiveness of human resource management in preschools, especially in urban contexts where pressure from parents and demands for quality education are increasing. The recommendations of this thesis can be used as suggestions for developing policies to support teachers, contributing to improving the quality of childcare and education.

12. Future research directions:

Further studies could expand the scope of the survey to other geographical areas to increase generalizability; and at the same time, delve deeper into the analysis of specific pressure groups, especially emotional stress and role conflict. In addition, longitudinal or interventional research methods could be combined to evaluate the effectiveness of solutions to reduce occupational stress for preschool teachers.

13. Published works related to the thesis: None

INFORMATION ON MASTER'S THESIS

1. Full name: Ta Thi Ha Ly 2. Sex: Female

3. Date of birth: October 10, 1999 4. Place of birth: Ninh Binh

5. Admission decision number: 5626/QD-XHNV Dated December 29, 2023, issued by the Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi.

6. Changes in academic process: Decision No. 9028/QD-XHNV issued on December 23, 2025

7. Official thesis title: Occupational stress among preschool teachers (A study in Cau Giay District, Hanoi)

8. Major: Sociology 9. Code: 8310301

10. Supervisors: Dr. Nguyen Thi Lan – Lecturer at the Faculty of Sociology and Social Work, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi.

11. Summary of the findings of the thesis:

This thesis addresses a timely and practically significant issue in the context of contemporary urban education, namely occupational stress among preschool teachers in Cau Giay District, Hanoi. By employing a mixed-methods approach that integrates both quantitative and qualitative research techniques, and by utilizing measurement scales grounded in established theoretical frameworks and international references, the study provides a comprehensive examination of the current situation, levels, and determinants of vocational stress among preschool teachers.

The findings indicate that vocational stress among preschool teachers is relatively high and inherently multidimensional, including five principal domains: (1) stress arises from children's behavior and needs; (2) stress associated with parental expectations; (3) stress related to emotional labor and role conflict; (4) stress stemming from workload and working conditions; and (5) stress derived from organizational and managerial factors. These domains do not operate in isolation; rather, they interact and strengthen one another, thereby enhancing the overall level of stress experienced by teachers.

The analysis further reveals significant differences in occupational stress different groups of teachers. In particular, teachers in private preschools tend to experience higher levels of stress related to job demands and parental expectations, whereas those in public institutions report greater stress associated with administrative burdens and regulatory requirements. In addition, stress levels are influenced by individual characteristics, including years of professional experience, family circumstances, and working conditions. Notably, occupational stress tends to increase with seniority, reflecting the cumulative nature of work-related strain over time.

A key contribution of this thesis lies in highlighting the prominent role of emotional labor and role conflict in shaping occupation stress among preschool teachers. Teachers are not only responsible for instructional tasks but are also required to continuously regulate their emotions, maintain a consistently positive mood, and meet expectations from multiple stakeholders, including educational institutions, parents, and society at large. Furthermore, the majority of preschool teachers are women who are simultaneously raising young children, resulting in a “double burden” as they balance professional responsibilities with family roles, thereby exacerbating psychological strain.

The integration of quantitative data with in-depth interviews enables the study not only to measure the level of vocational stress but also to provide a nuanced understanding of teachers' lived experiences, thereby offering a comprehensive and contextually grounded depiction of vocational stress in early childhood education.

New findings:

Systematized and measured vocational stress across five specific groups tailored to the research context.

Highlighted the central role of emotional labor and role conflict as specific forms of stress previously under-emphasized in domestic studies.

Demonstrated the simultaneous impact of both personal and organizational factors.

Provided a profound explanation of teachers' lived experiences through mixed-method data.

12. Practical applicability, if any: The findings of this study provide an important empirical basis for preschool institutions and educational administrators to identify the major sources of vocational stress among teachers. On this basis, appropriate interventions can be developed, including adjusting workload, improving working conditions, streamlining administrative requirements, and enhancing psychological support for teachers. In addition, the study offers practical implications for improving human resource management in early childhood education, particularly in urban contexts where parental expectations and quality demands are increasingly high. The proposals proposed in this thesis may serve as useful references for relying in designing support mechanisms aimed at reducing occupational stress and improving the quality of early childhood education.

13. Further research directions, if any: Future research may expand the scope of investigation to other localities in order to enhance the generalizability of findings. It may also conduct more in-depth analyzes of specific dimensions of occupational stress, particularly emotional labor and role conflict. In addition, longitudinal research designs or intervention-based studies could be employed to examine changes in occupational stress over time and to evaluate the effectiveness of strategies aimed at reducing occupational stress among preschool teachers.

14. Thesis-related publications: None