In the context of declining birth rates, Taiwanese parents have increasingly high expectations and demands of teachers, posing new challenges to teachers' professional ethics and psychological resilience. This qualitative narrative study explores the emotional labor, coping mechanisms, and stress management strategies employed by educators when facing parental complaints and defamation. The research subjects include university professors, high school teachers, junior high school cram instructors, and preschool educators, aiming to understand their psychological adjustment processes and the diversity of coping strategies following professional setbacks.

The study reveals that teachers' emotional responses to complaints and defamation incidents typically progress through three stages: initial shock, helplessness, and self-doubt; followed by intense stress, anxiety, and mistrust of the work environment; and eventually, some teachers manage to restore emotional balance through self-adjustment or external support. Based on these findings, the study suggests fostering positive thinking and resilience through training, enhancing communication among teachers to share positive experiences and form supportive communities, and schools proactively providing resources to alleviate stress and help teachers better navigate professional challenges.

These insights offer empirical support for education policymakers and practical guidance for administrators and frontline educators on implementing psychological support measures to promote teachers' long-term professional development. Additionally, this research contributes to cross-cultural education studies, deepening the understanding of educational challenges within diverse Asian cultural contexts.

Authors:
Fu-An Shieh, National Chengchi University, Taiwan
Chen Pai Chen, Asia University, Taiwan

About the Presenter(s)
My name is FuAn Shieh. I am a third-year Ph.D. student in the Department of Education at National Chengchi University, and I also teach at Jinwen University of Science and Technology.

Connect on Linkedin
https://www.linkedin.com/in/joan-shieh-1829b461/

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