The Influence of Self-resilience and Self-belief on Teachers’ Choice of Coping Strategies in the Workplace

Abstract

Teacher stress in the workplace, if not handled properly, will have an impact on the quality of teachers’ work. Therefore, selection of coping strategies that are suited to the teacher’s personality in facing work challenges is crucial in order to reduce work stress and burden. This study employed a quantitative approach in the form of a survey to identify the extent to which the level of self-resilience and the level of self-belief influence primary schoolteachers’ choice of coping strategies. A total of 279 respondents were selected using simple random sampling from a population of 960 teachers from 43 primary schools located in Setiu district, Terengganu. Research instruments used for data collection included the Resilience Scale, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and Coping Orientation to Problems Experience Inventory (Brief-COPE). Data were analysed descriptively and inferentially. Based on the study’s findings, it was found that the teachers in Setiu district had a high level of self-resilience, and a moderately high level of self-belief. Results showed that level of self-belief (β=0.339, t= 5.781, p=0.000) positively predicted teachers’ choice of coping strategies. Meanwhile, self-resilience (β=0.114, t= 1.947, p=0.053) predicted choice of coping strategies insignificantly. Based on the regression analysis equation, self-belief accounts for 0.315 as a predictor of teachers’ choice of coping strategies. Hence, teachers’ choice of coping strategies increases when teachers’ self-belief increases. The implication of this study is that it could assist teachers in identifying or exploring ways of overcoming stress according to their level of self-resilience and self-belief. This study is expected to be able to provide a general exposure to teachers on the importance of coping strategies as one of the steps in overcoming challenges in the workplace in the future.