Teachers’ mental health status in new normal among public secondary schools in Jolo, Sulu

Abstract

This study analyzed the mental health status of the public secondary teachers in Jolo, Sulu, Philippines. This study was a descriptive research that described the emotional well-being, support perception, stress level, anxiety level, depression, as well as resilience and coping mechanisms of the public teachers. Three public secondary schools were selected in this study. There were one hundred twenty (n=120) public school teachers who participated in the study—forty in each institution. This study adapted Warwick Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS), Teachers Mental Health Check-in Survey, Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21), Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10), and Carver Brief COPE Inventory as the research questionnaire. The teachers demonstrated positive emotional state, low levels of anxiety, stress, and depression, and high resilience, all indicative of their effective management of mental health challenges in the new normal. Specifically, they reported having the feeling of optimism, love, being supported, relaxed, and mental fortitude. They were also able to respond to the challenges they face by getting advice, seeking emotional support, self-reflection, and find comfort from their religion or spiritual beliefs. However, this study did not evidently describe the interactions between support systems and anxiety, stress, and depression levels. Hence, it is essential for further research to explore the specific types of support and coping strategies that most effectively promote these positive emotional states and resilience among teachers.