Stress Level and Coping Strategies of Special Educators in Teaching Students with Special Needs in Oyo Metropolis

Background
Teaching students with special needs requires that the educator respect and understand all categories of special needs students in the class in order to provide equitable educational opportunities for all students. This study examined the stress levels and coping strategies of special educators teaching students with special needs in Oyo Metropolis.

Methodology
Utilising a descriptive survey research design, data were gathered from a sample of 50 educators via a structured questionnaire, the Stress and Coping Strategies Questionnaire (STACQ). Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and t-tests were used to analyse the data.

Findings/Results
Findings indicated that the general stress level was "mild," with a weighted mean of 1.4 on a 4-point Likert scale. Specific stressors, including “not enough time allotted to work” (mean = 1.18) and “lack of recognition for good teaching” (mean = 1.16), were mild but persistent, while managing IEP meetings (mean = 2.08) and students’ impolite behaviours (mean = 2.12) posed higher challenges. The mean coping strategy score was 1.6, with common strategies including discussing problems with colleagues and engaging in physical activities (mean = 1.92 each). A moderate positive correlation (r = 0.537, p < .001) was found between stress levels and coping strategies, indicating that higher stress encourages adaptive coping. Gender analysis showed that female educators (mean stress level = 1.70) experienced slightly higher stress than male educators (mean = 1.48), with significant t-values (t = 155.153, p < .001 for males; t = 103.007, p < .001 for females).

Implications
The study concludes that systemic support and resources are essential for managing stress effectively.

Conclusion
Systemic support and resources are essential for managing stress effectively.

Recommendations
Targeted professional development for IEP support and interventions to address gender-specific stress factors