Personality Effects on Teaching Anxiety and Teaching Strategies in University Professors - Volume 39 - No. 1 (2009)

Oct 15, 2026

Teaching anxiety is prevalent among university professors, yet limited research has explored how personality relates to teaching anxiety in this population. This study investigates how different in-class behaviours connect to teaching anxiety and personality traits. Findings indicate higher neuroticism and lower extraversion correspond to higher teaching anxiety. Professors with high neuroticism use strategies like student-to-student discussion and group work to redirect attention away from the instructor, potentially reducing anxiety-provoking intensity.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages12

Reading Time30 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Teaching and Anxiety

CSSHE SCÉES Canadian Journal of Higher Education Revue canadienne d’enseignement supérieur Volume 39, No. 1, 2009, pages 61-72 [www.ingentaconnect.com/content/csshe/cjhe](www.ingentaconnect.com/content/csshe/cjhe) Personality Effects on Teaching Anxiety and Teaching Strategies in University Professors Michael Houlihan, Ian Fraser, Kimberley D. Fenwick, Tom Fish, Christin Moeller St. Thomas University AbstrAct Teaching anxiety is prevalent among professors. However, there is little research examining the relationship between personality and teaching anxiety in this population. The current study examines how different types of in-class behaviour are related to teaching anxiety and personality. Higher neuroticism and lower extraversion are related to higher levels of teaching anxiety. Professors with high neuroticism employ inclass strategies such as student-to-student discussion and group work, which may help to diminish the levels of anxiety by diverting attention away from the instructor. Personality is an important factor to consider when examining the relationship between teaching anxiety and specific strategies used within the classroom. In particular, understanding the role of personality characteristics would allow the professor to adjust coping strategies that may be important to circumventing or minimizing anxiety-provoking situations that may arise. résumé L’anxiété durant l’enseignement est très répandue parmi les professeurs. Toutefois, il y a peu de recherche qui examine la relation entre la personnalité et l’anxiété durant l’enseignement. L’étude courante examine comment différents types de comportements en classe sontreliés à l’anxiété de l’enseignement et à la personnalité. Un taux élevé de neurasthénie et un taux bas d’extraversion sont reliés à un taux élevé d’anxiété face à l’enseignement. Les professeurs ayant un haut taux deneurasthénie emploient en classe des stratégies telles que discussions 62 CJHE / RCES Volume 39, No. 1, 2009 entre étudiants et travail de groupes, quipeuvent aider à diminuer le degré d’anxiété en portant l’attention loin de l’instructeur. La personnalité est un important facteur à considérer quand on examine la relation entre l’anxiété de l’enseignement et les stratégies spécifiques utilisées dans les classes. En particulier, la compréhension du rôle que les caractéristiques de personnalité jouent, permettrait au professeur d’ajuster les stratégiesd’adaptation qui pourraient être utilisées pour contourner ou minimiser les situations d’anxiété qui pourraient se présenter. IntroductIon Work-related anxiety and stress have a negative impact on effectiveness, job satisfaction, and overall well-being. University teachers are unique in many ways that make the likelihood of anxiety and stress greater than in most professions (Kinman, Jones & Kinman, 2006) . For example, teaching anxiety is common among professors and is known to affect the strategies employed by university professors within the classroom (Fraser, Houlihan, Fenwick, Fish,& Möller, 2007) . Although some researchers have examined the relationship between personality and teaching effectiveness, the impact of personality on teaching anxiety and teaching strategies has received little research attention. The present study, therefore, examines how personality may be related to teaching-related anxiety and the teaching strategies used by professors based on their personality. teaching and Anxiety In a large-scale study of university teachers in the United Kingdom, Kinman, Jones, and Kinman (2006) reported on the levels of stress experienced by university professors. Not only did professors report high levels of stress, they also reported that their stress levels had increased dramatically over a period of six years. When compared to other professions (e.g., emergency-room technicians and surgeons, nurses, managers, call-centre workers), the only group of individuals reporting a higher level of overall str

FAQs

What relationship does the study find between personality and teaching anxiety?

Higher neuroticism and lower extraversion are associated with higher levels of teaching anxiety among university professors.

Which classroom strategies do highly neurotic professors use, and why?

They employ strategies such as student-to-student discussion and group work, which may reduce anxiety by diverting attention away from the instructor.

Why does the document argue teaching anxiety deserves more research in universities?

Although university teachers face significant work-related stress, research on the specific role of teaching anxiety in university settings remains limited.

Oct 15, 2026

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