Gender and stress levels among pre-service teachers

This study used gender-sensitive research to investigate stress levels and stressors among pre-service teachers. The differences and similarities in stress levels between male and female pre-service teachers were studied. There were five significant findings: 1) both male and female pre-service teachers had high-stress levels; 2) male pre-service teachers had higher stress levels than females; 3) male pre-service teachers' stress has a strong relationship with their ages, while it was not for female pre-service teachers; 4) male pre-service teachers preferred to undertake their placement and commence their teaching career in middle or higher year level sectors, while female students preferred to teach in middle or lower year level sectors; and 5) while male and female students had similar knowledge about available support, their expectations of support were different. These findings can inform future gender-appropriate support mechanisms for pre-service teachers, leading to better retention in their studies and future career.