Abstract

• This study investigated teachers' social emotional competence (SEC) in relation to occupational stress (OS). In this study, descriptive survey method and quantitative research design were used, and a total of 452 teachers from 4 districts in Yangon Region and Mandalay Region participated. Social Emotional Competence Teacher Rating Scale (SECTRS) and Teacher Stress Inventory (TSI) were used as the research instrument. There were significant differences in teachers' SEC by age, designation and working experiences. Teachers in 30-39 years old had significant higher mean scores in teachers- student relationships than those 50 and above years old. Primary assistant teachers were significant higher mean scores in SEC than senior assistant teachers. Working experiences for less than 5 years-teachers had highest mean scores in social awareness than other teachers. There were significant differences in OS by age, designation and working experiences. The 20 to 29 years old- teachers were significant higher mean scores in emotional manifestation than those for 40 to 50 and above years old. Primary assistant teachers and junior assistant teachers were significant differences in professional distress than senior assistant teachers. Senior assistant teachers were significant differences in discipline and motivation at stress than primary assistant teachers. Junior assistant teachers had higher mean scores in cardiovascular manifestation and behavioral manifestation than primary assistant teachers and senior assistant teachers. The teachers with less than 5 years in working experiences had higher mean scores in emotional manifestation than those with 20 to above 30 years in them. Teachers who had working experiences for over 15 to 30 years were significant differences in behavioral manifestation than those for less than 5 years. The result indicated that teachers' SEC was negatively related with OS (r= -.223, p< 0.001). It can be said that the higher the teachers' social emotional competence, the lower the occupational stress.