Helpless at the mercy of school noise? The role of self-efficacy in teachers' noise-related coping

Emphasizing on noise-related self-efficacy, this study offers a novel, comprehensive examination of the complex interactions between noise sensitivity, annoyance, strain, and coping. Self-efficacy and coping as central psychological constructs have been understudied in this context. A quantitative online survey with 820 Germann school teachers, recruited through direct outreach and online advertising, was conducted and data was analysed using structural equation modelling (SEM). Results indicate that individual noise sensitivity has only a limited influence on annoyance and coping. In contrast, noise-related self-efficacy significantly reduces annoyance and strongly predicts behavioural coping, suggesting that self-effective teachers actively manage school noise. High noise sensitivity is associated with avoidance behaviour, while cognitive coping is used less frequently. None of the three identified coping styles significantly predicted noise-related strain, partly in line with previous findings. The study highlights the need for noise-focused interventions that strengthen cognitive coping strategies and enhance teachers’ self-efficacy in managing school noise.