Psychological Wellbeing of Special Education Teachers with Down Syndrome Students

This study explores the psychological wellbeing of Malaysian special education teachers working with students with Down syndrome, aiming to raise awareness of their mental health and advocate for increased societal support. Eight female teachers with at least one year of experience teaching these students were purposefully selected for semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis revealed that these teachers faced significant challenges, including academic difficulties, behavioural issues, and negative emotional consequences. Despite these struggles, they effectively maintained their wellbeing through coping mechanisms that can be understood using Seligman's (2011) PERMA model and Lazarus and Folkman's (1984) Transactional Model of Stress and Coping. The findings provide valuable insights into effective coping strategies that could benefit other teachers and inform the Ministry of Education in designing improved training programs. Future research should include a larger and more diverse sample and consider incorporating teaching assistants, who also work closely with Down syndrome students and face similar challenges.