Case Study on the Psychological
Effect of Covid-19 among Teachers
MAYFLOR RAGO-PEŃALOZA
GELIAN C. SACUPAYO
STUDENTS
JINKY ARNEJO
INSTRUCTOR
ABSTRACT
This study tends to determine the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the quality
life of teachers and develop strategies to overcome them. The two main reason of
psychological impact to teachers during pandemic are anxiety and depression. Teacher M
overcome it with the used of the different strategies and intervention.
INTRODUCTION
COVID-19 is a disease caused by coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2. This virus can lead to
serious illness and death. It is very contagious and has quickly spread around the world.
Many people lost their beloved family member and suffered a lot.
Education stops temporarily to prevent the spread of the virus.
COVID-19 changes everything not just in education system but in all aspects of
human lives. It causes dramatic disruption in delivering the learning on the child. The
department of education adapt the what we called new normal in learning from face to
face classes to the different mode of learning like modular or online learning and others.
The closure of schools and social isolation implemented globally results sudden anxiety
among teachers (Talidong & Toquero, 2020). Teachers are transitioning through an
uncertain period in terms of their professional (Allen et al., 2020) and personal lives. Apart
from the obvious risks to physical health, the psychological impact of COVID-19 also
carries significant threats and dangers to mental health and well-being as higher levels of
anxiety and stress are further exacerbated by the on-going uncertainty of the situation.
Moreover, aside from the conceivable stresses’ teachers face regarding the threat of
COVID-19 to themselves and their families, they are forced to transition into the new
normal in the educational landscape and undertake effective remedial education
(Guillasper et al., 2020; Moralista & Oducado, 2020). Teachers may not necessarily have
the technologies, resources, and competencies that they need to engage and succeed in
this new modality of teaching.
The teachers find hard to adapt the changes in the educational system. In this, most
teachers suffer anxiety and psychological problem.
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
Teachers at this time of pandemic was left alone in the classroom. Printing
modules, checking papers, delivering and retrieving modules in the barangay and seesaw.
Far from the usual thing they used in the classroom. They struggled adjusting in the new
normal. Added to this is the additional paper work ask by the head of office. With this,
psychological problem arises. Signs and symptoms of anxiety experienced by the teacher.
Anxiety
According to Lynn Chan, anxiety is a common emotion when dealing with daily stresses
and problems. But when these emotions are persistent, excessive and irrational, and affect
a person’s ability to function, anxiety becomes a disorder. In this time of pandemic,
teachers are bombarded with so much work. They are into printing and sorting many
copies of modules for their students, checking papers, communicating parent and
students and complying the paper works ask by the head of office. They have difficulty in
doing the task in a limited time frame. And that they are afraid that they did not get into
the expectation of their head of office and possible they will be scolded.
Depression
Depression is a low mood that lasts for a long time, affecting everyday life. It is often
triggered by a mix of genetic, psychological and environmental factors; studies show that
the risk of becoming depressed can be increased by life events such as poverty, death of
a loved one, physical illness or abuse. For some, the risk is also hereditary. During this time
of pandemic, many teachers lost their loved ones. Unexpected death of someone who
means so much on us is very painful. No one believed that it will happen until they
experienced it. They find hard to accept the reality and slowly they got depressed.
METHODS OF HELPING THE TEACHER
Practice Mindfulness
Anxiety is often caused by worrying about the future, so staying engaged in the present
is a helpful antidote. Using your senses and identifying the sights, smells, and sounds
going on around you at any given moment can help pull you from anxious thoughts back
to the present moment. Taking deep breaths or focusing your attention on noticing the
details of something nearby are also strategies to keep you grounded and present.
Seek Companionship and Inspiration
Teacher anxiety is something many of us keep to ourselves, yet the previously mentioned
survey shows that the majority of teachers are in the same boat when it comes to stress.
Reaching out to coworkers and talking about your feelings can be a great relief.
Care for Yourself
Taking care of yourself during the school year requires a focused effort. With days that
are scheduled down to the minute, and work that often lasts well beyond an eight-hour
day, it can be hard to find time to eat healthy, exercise, or even think about yourself. But
as the saying goes, you can't pour from an empty cup, and many of us let ourselves run
completely dry during the school year. Finding activities, you enjoy and scheduling time
for them in your week is key to beating teacher anxiety.
Prepare and Plan Ahead
Feeling unprepared can trigger anxiety. It's easy to get caught in the vicious cycle of
feeling unmotivated to plan on Friday afternoon, putting off planning over the weekend,
and ending up feeling extremely anxious and unprepared on Sunday night. Teachers who
plan in advance tend to experience less anxiety. Some teachers plan ahead for a unit,
quarter, or even the entire school year. Obviously, plans can change, but having plans
definitely helps reduce anxiety. Many teachers commit to staying at school on Friday until
their plans for the next week are complete. Others commit to planning on Thursday, so
their weekends can start right away on Friday afternoon.
Change Your Mind-Set
Many factors that impact a teacher's job are simply out of their control. While this can be
frustrating, it doesn't have to cause anxiety.
This study focused on investigating the psychological effect of COVID-19 among teachers.
The following research questions were asked in this study;
1. What are the factors that can cause the anxiety and depression of teachers during
pandemic?
2. What are the strategies that can be used to help the teachers overcome the
psychological effect of COVID-19?
METHOD
This study chose a teacher from Camiguin National High School who suffered anxiety and
depression during the Covid-19 pandemic.
CASE STUDY METHOD
This study is a descriptive narrative type and applied triangulation through the used of
different sources like; interview the teacher, analyze their action and talk their family.
CASE: ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION
A teacher who suffered anxiety and depression during the Covid-19 pandemic.
BACKGROUND OF CASE
Research Subject: Teacher M, a female teacher of Camiguin National High School from
Mambajao, Camiguin, Province.
Demographic Background: Teacher M is from Mambajao, Camiguin, Province who works
at Camiguin National High School in Catarman, one of the municipalities of the Camiguin.
A mother of one (1) daughter, not married with the father of the child, but still in a
relationship with each other and not living in the same roof. Teacher M stayed in her
parents together with her daughter. Teacher’s M parents did not approve her partner
capable to be with her. Teacher M travelled every day to school early as 6 a.m. She usually
brought her work at home while in school she was busy on printing and sorting modules
and other work. Sadly, Teacher M struggled in silence she suffered anxiety and depression.
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TEACHER
Teacher M is a very hard-working teacher. She arrived at school early in the morning.
Every time she arrives she directly clean her assigned area and her classroom. After that,
she printed and sorted modules and delivered it to the subject teacher. When the author
talked Teacher M at time she was stunned. She listened but she was very uneasy. She was
worried always doing her work. She was afraid that she cannot give modules to her
students. Stunned and uneasy that is Teacher M. Teacher M as described by her
colleagues was very fun to be with before pandemic. She was one of a kind-teacher.
Everything changed during Covid-19 pandemic.
Diagnostic Assessment
The author talked to Teacher M and asked: “Is there problem?”
Teacher M answered: “I am depressed and I don’t know what to do.”
The author: “What makes you feel depressed? “
Teacher M: “I am so down. I find it hard to do my tasks as a teacher like printing hundred
copies of modules, sorting them and communicating the parents of my students
especially that the parents are not cooperative.”
The author: “Anything else?
Teacher M did not reply. After that conversation with Teacher M, the author discovered
that aside from her work there are other caused of her anxiety and depression. Teacher
M was in denial of her own problem.
The author contacted the sister of Teacher M which is also a teacher of Bugang Integrated
School.
The author: “Have you noticed any undesirable action of your sister?”
Sister: “There are some changes of her action like she was irritable and get upset easily at
home.”
The author: “Have you confronted her about her actions?”
Sister: “We talked to her but sometimes she refused to answer”.
After talking to her sister, the author found out that Teacher M was offended by the
treatment of her parents towards her partner. Because of this, she got depressed and
became inferior of herself that leads her anxiety and depression.
Analysis of Reasons for Teacher M’s Anxiety and Depression
During the period of contact with Teacher M, the author believed that Teacher M is very
in denial with her problems especially in her personal life considering also the additional
workload of the teachers in this time of pandemic. Being alone in the classroom doing
work overloads gave so much stressed to the teachers. Teacher M had difficulty in
adjusting the new normal way in the educational system.
Intervention
Talk Therapy/Counseling
The administrator talked to her and suggested to see a psychologist. Some of her
colleagues advised her to divert her negative perception into a happy one. She was also
advised to have companion inside her classroom so that she has someone to talk to every
time her anxiety and depression attacks.
The administrator let her to have a one month leave for her to meditate and relax.
Reframing of Intrusive Thoughts
Teacher M was urged by the principal to be opened and shared her problems to someone
she can trusted. She must learn to accept everything that happened in her life and think
positively.
Exercise and Deep Breathing
As a way to overcome anxiety and depression, exercise and deep breathing was
recommended by the psychologist. Teacher M must find time to exercise and relax in the
middle of doing her workloads.
Moral Support
Moral Support is necessary to everybody specially if we are in troubled. Teacher M needs
the support from her family specially that she loses the will to work and live.
Results
After a one month leave, Teacher M had progress in herself. She can now interact with
her colleagues. She learned how to handle her problems personally. Her attitude towards
her work improved. She can now manage her time well.
CONCLUSION
This study focused on the psychological effect of covid-19 among teachers. It is not easy
to experience anxiety and depression. It can lead to lose of will to live in the case of
Teacher M, she got to the point that she wanted to resign in her work and even to live.
There are times that she heard someone persuading her to leave the classroom because
he seemed useless, so she got up and leave. Her colleagues were shocked seeing her
leaving immediately. The school administrator managed to talked to her and let her rest
for a month. The author highlighted the different strategies of overcoming anxiety and
depression. Through counseling Teacher M was given a chance to assess herself. Have her
companion to talk to in order to divert her negative thought into positive one. A must
exercise despite of the hectic schedule to keep herself energized. A moral support from
her family is also necessary. After a month, Teacher M came back in school coherently.
She can manage her emotions and stressed in work.
REFERENCES
https://www.perspectivestherapyservices.com/anxiety/the-5-best-interventionsto-manage-chronic-anxiety/
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.620718/full
https://www.wgu.edu/heyteach/article/6-strategies-relieve-teacheranxiety1809.html
https://www.ajpor.org/article/17801-covid-19-impact-on-the-quality-of-life-ofteachers-a-cross-sectional-study