EMOTIONAL BURNOUT AND COPING EXPERIENCES OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHERS IN INCLUSIVE CLASSROOMS
Keywords:
Special Education, Emotional Burnout, Descriptive-Correlational Method, Liloan, CebuAbstract
Inclusive education is an educational reform that promotes equal learning opportunities for all learners, including those with diverse needs and disabilities. This study determined the emotional burnout of elementary teachers in inclusive classrooms at Liloan Central Elementary School, Liloan, Cebu, for School Year 2025–2026 as the basis for an action plan. It examined the respondents’ profiles, the extent of their emotional burnout in terms of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment, the significant relationship between the profile variables and emotional burnout, and the coping practices used by the teachers. The study employed a descriptive-correlational research design and a purposive-convenience sampling method involving 50 respondents. A questionnaire adapted from Shaheen and Mahmood (2018) was utilized, and the data were analyzed using the weighted mean, simple percentage, and the Pearson product-moment correlation. The findings revealed that the respondents were predominantly female, middle-aged adults, experienced general education teachers who actively engaged in graduate studies and professional development activities. The teachers experienced moderate emotional exhaustion, low depersonalization, and a very high level of personal accomplishment in inclusive classrooms. The results further showed that demographic variables were not significantly related to emotional burnout, whereas participation in training and seminars and length of teaching experience were significantly associated with burnout levels. Moreover, the respondents demonstrated strong coping practices, particularly in problem-solving, maintaining positivity, and regulating emotions, reflecting resilience and effective management of emotional burnout. Based on the findings, the researcher recommends the development and implementation of an action plan.
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