Job satisfaction levels of high school teachers and affecting personal and institutional factors: a study of Sivas city

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate job satisfaction levels of high school teachers and to evaluate the affecting factors. Material and Methods: The universe of the study consisted of public high schools located in city centre of Sivas. Four hundred and eighty two teachers of total 1036 of the universe were included into the study. The data including age, gender, education status, marriage status, duration of career, institutional policy, income level, physical conditions and advancement conditions in career were collected by questionnaire form and job satisfaction scale. Results: Thirty-two percent and 68% of the responders of the questionnaire were female and male respectively. The mean point of the whole scale was 3.55 indicating that the job satisfaction of sample group was moderate. As the general satisfaction point reevaluated regarding differences in the teachers' characteristics, job satisfaction levels were significantly correlated with duration of career, having a chance of advancement in the career and being satisfied with management of his/her institution. The teachers who have carrier duration longer than one year, who have a chance of advancement in the carrier and who are satisfied with management of institution had a significantly higher job satisfaction level as compared to other groups. Discussion: Job satisfaction levels show significant differences only with duration of career, having opportunities of professional advancement and being satisfied with the operation of the institution. These data show that individual and institutional factors determine the level of job satisfaction together, and support the modern theories. (Anatolian Journal of Psychiatry 2009; 10: 18-25)