TEACHER RESILIENCE, ADAPTIVE STRATEGIES, AND MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES IN INCLUSIVE CLASSROOMS: BASIS FOR AN ACTION PLAN
Keywords:
Special Education, mental health, resilience, adaptive strategies, descriptive-correlational method, Cebu CityAbstract
This study examined the adaptive strategies and mental health challenges of teachers in inclusive classrooms at Banilad Night High School, Gov. M. Cuenco Ave., Banilad, Cebu City, during School Year 2025–2026, as a basis for an action plan. It assessed the respondents’ profile, their level of coping strategies, and the extent of their mental health challenges, and it examined the significant relationships between coping strategies and mental health challenges and between the respondents’ profile and their mental health challenges. The study involved 30 respondents selected through purposive-convenience sampling and used a questionnaire adapted from Amaroso (2025). A descriptive-correlational research design was employed, and the data were analyzed using the weighted mean, simple percentage, and the Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient. Most respondents were mid-career, female teachers with master’s-level education or units, varied exposure to training, and 11–20 years of teaching experience, mostly from non-specialized fields. Teachers generally demonstrated high levels of coping strategies in inclusive classrooms, particularly in social support, time management, self-care, problem-solving, and positive self-talk, while professional support was moderate. They also experienced a great extent of mental health challenges attributed to limited resources, workload, and the demands of handling diverse learners. A significant negative relationship was found between coping strategies and mental health challenges, whereas no significant relationship was found between the teachers’ profile variables and their mental health challenges. Based on the findings, the researcher recommends the development and implementation of an Action Plan on Adaptive Strategies and Mental Health Challenges.
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