Stress and Coping Mechanisms of Teachers: Basis for a Stress Management Program

COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the lives of teachers and brought undue amount of stress to an already challenging teaching profession. In this correlational study, the association between the stress level, and the corresponding coping mechanisms used by the teachers at Kasiglahan Village Elementary School was determined. The research instrument has three parts: the demographic profile, the stress level, and the coping mechanism. A total of 223 participants joined this study. The stress level experienced in terms of teaching function, non-teaching function, home, community, and issues on COVID-19 is similar regardless of age, civil status, number of children, educational attainment, and teaching position. However, male teachers experienced a higher level of stress in terms of teaching and non-teaching function while teachers handling online classes have higher stress levels at home compared to their printed modular modality counterpart. The coping mechanisms are frequently employed and similar across the demographic profile. The result shows that as stress level becomes higher, the used of coping mechanisms became more frequent. These imply that there is a need for interventions in the form of school policy changes, assistance, and stress management program to lessen the stress being experienced.