Chapter 4: Shared Needs: Teachers Helping Students with Learning Disabilities to Cope More Effectively

Relationships with students who have learning disabilities are especially likely to cause teacher stress as these students are at risk of behavior problems and of resorting to the use of nonproductive coping strategies. A study involving 77 adolescent students with learning disabilities investigated the effect of a 10-week coping program and a teacher feedback intervention. Both interventions aimed to increase students’ sense of control and productive coping and to decrease nonproductive coping. Pre- and postprogram data on perceived control and coping were collected from parents, teachers, and students. It was analyzed with a one-way analysis of covariance. Results showed significant changes in the coping program group to a greater internal locus of control. The teachers reported the use of fewer nonproductive coping strategies for the teacher feedback and for the concurrent teacher feedback/coping program recipients. Teachers also reported stress reduction due to improved relationships with students and to increased self-efficacy in regard to effective teaching methods for these students.