Challenges and Coping Strategies in Handling Students in Conflict: The Case of Guidance Advocates in Public Schools in Koronadal City

Guidance advocates play a vital role in schools, providing holistic academic, social, and emotional support while helping students explore complex personal and interpersonal challenges. This study employed a holistic single-case study design to provide an in-depth, contextualized understanding of the challenges encountered and coping strategies by the Guidance advocates in handling students in conflict in secondary schools in District X, City of Koronadal. Three Guidance advocates were purposively selected and participated in semi-structured interviews to capture their challenges and coping strategies in handling in-conflict students. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis guided by a single case approach to identify patterns in the challenges and coping strategies of Guidance advocates in handling students in conflict. Findings revealed that guidance advocates in public secondary schools face institutional, emotional, and contextual challenges when managing student conflicts. Despite these challenges, they demonstrate resilience by employing student-centered, confidential, and adaptive coping strategies. The findings underscore the need for supportive institutional frameworks, structured support systems, continuous professional development, and clearer role delineation to empower more effective conflict resolution and a healthier school environment. These findings recommend that school administrators establish supportive and flexible mechanisms, including counseling spaces, reduced non-guidance workload, and streamlined referral processes to enhance efficiency and autonomy. Furthermore, the Department of Education may refine policies like the Child Protection Policy, provide structured training programs and additional plantilla positions for licensed Guidance Counselors to strengthen schools' capacity in handling complex student cases.