Comparative Analysis of Educators’ Self-efficacy, Autonomy, and Perceived Stress Among Specialized and Non-specialized Teaching

Educators play a crucial role in supporting students' academic progress and personal development. This study compared self-efficacy, autonomy, and perceived stress between educators teaching specialized and non-specialized subjects. A total of 375 secondary school teachers from Pampanga were randomly selected to participate in the study. The primary objective was to test the hypothesis that there were no significant differences between the two groups in these variables. The data were gathered using three standardized instruments: the 12-item Teachers' Sense of Efficacy Scale, the 17-item Teacher Autonomy Scale, and the 7-item Teacher Stress Scale. Statistical analyses at a 0.05 significance level revealed significant differences in self-efficacy (p = 0.01) and autonomy (p = 0.0049) between specialized and non-specialized teachers. However, no significant difference was observed in stress levels (p = 1.0). These findings suggest that teaching specialization may enhance teachers' efficacy and autonomy, underscoring the importance of aligning teaching assignments with teachers' areas of expertise. The study highlights the importance of targeted professional development and institutional support in addressing the distinct challenges faced by both specialized and non-specialized educators, providing valuable insights into educational and psychological practices and offering practical recommendations to enhance teaching conditions and outcomes.