OCCUPATIONAL STRESS IN THE PERSONAL TRAINER PROFESSION: A COMPARATIVE STUDY

resumen

Dioneide Pereira da Silva*, Glebia Alexa Cardoso, Juliana Carla Mendes de Melo, Tiago Jose do, Nascimento Caetano, Paula Gomes da Silva, Nilmara Serafim Chagas, Maria do Socorro Cirilo-Sousa, Jose Carlos Leitao

This study aimed to compare stress levels, life satisfaction, and organizational commitment among different groups of physical education professionals, specifically schoolteachers and personal trainers working in the field of fitness and health. The sample consisted of 146 participants of both sexes, all graduates in physical education from the state of Ceara, Brazil. The groups were selected through purposive sampling. Of the total, 72 were schoolteachers, comprising 38 men (aged 23–59 years; M = 34.92; SD = 8.43) and 34 women (aged 22–47 years; M = 30.02; SD = 7.31). The remaining 74 participants were personal trainers, including 33 men (aged 21– 36 years; M = 26.09; SD = 3.32) and 19 women (aged 22–50 years; M = 29.42; SD = 7.30). A comparison between the two groups regarding life satisfaction, professional experience, and working hours revealed a statistically significant difference only in professional experience, with higher mean values in the teacher group (M = 93.34; SD = 91.18) compared to personal trainers (M = 44.15; SD = 54.00). Regarding stress levels (“slightly elevated” and “highly elevated”), significant differences were found across all dimensions, with the high-stress group reporting greater perceptions in all dimensions of the Teachers’ Stress Questionnaire (QSP). In the qualitative analysis, “lack of stability” and “lack of professional recognition,” as well as “pressure for aesthetic results,” were identified by personal trainers as common stress-inducing factors, based on the Stress in Professionals Questionnaire (SP). The findings highlight the multifaceted nature of stress, organizational commitment, and life satisfaction among school physical education teachers and personal trainers. Stress levels, life satisfaction, and professional experience are perceived differently by the two groups, reflecting specific contextual and professional characteristics.