Female teachers’ coping styles with negative emotions in student aggression

Current research has focused largely on teachers’ practices in order to promote safe and peaceful classrooms; however, research on how teachers cope with negative emotions in student aggression is limited. In light of the growing evidence regarding the impact of student aggression on teachers’ emotional distress and burnout, it is important to explore teachers’ experiences of their coping mechanisms with negative emotions in student aggression. A qualitative study was conducted to examine the coping styles of 18 novice and in-service female teachers with negative emotions in student aggression. Thematic analyses of the in-depth semi-structured interviews yielded six main coping styles with negative emotions: cognitive style, social support, teacher-student relationships, emotional style, professional beliefs, and self-relaxation. Teachers used a combination of multiple emotional coping styles including several strategies that develop with experience. Practical implications for training practitioners and school officials are discussed to improve teachers’ emotional coping.