Stress and Coping Mechanisms of Teachers of Learners with Intellectual Disabilities

Abstract

This study examines the stress and coping mechanisms of teachers of learners with intellectual disabilities at Garden City Special School in the Asokore Mampong Municipality in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. This study employed a qualitative case study that aims to explore the sources of stress among teachers, the consequences of stress among teachers and the coping mechanisms of stress among teachers. The study employed a census approach to recruit participants. Participants included 18 teachers in the school. The sole means of collecting data involved conducting comprehensive in-person interviews. All 18 teachers in the school gave their permission to be interviewed for the study. The taped interviews were transcribed and analysed using a thematic approach and descriptive language. The final findings revealed that the main sources of teachers’ stress in the school were student behaviour, cognitive delays of learners, work environment and large class size. The findings also revealed that the consequences of teacher stress were classified based on physical, emotional, mental and social effects. The findings also revealed that engagement of students, tranquillity (meditation, mindfulness and relaxation), motivation and ability grouping of learners were the best coping mechanisms used by the teachers. It is recommended that the Ghana Education Service should encourage inclusive practices in educational policies that acknowledge the difficulties teachers encounter when working with learners with intellectual disabilities and provide a good and encouraging atmosphere for them. The best coping mechanisms and future study directions will depend on our ability to comprehend stressors and how they impact teachers.