Teachers' coping styles and factors inhibiting teachers' preferred classroom management practice

The relationship between 294 teachers' coping styles and factors they perceive as inhibiting them from using their ideal classroom management is investigated. The results show that a coping style that includes strategies such as self-blame and wishful thinking relates to greater identification of both personal inhibitory factors (e.g., time and work demands), and broader factors (e.g., accountability to parents). Conversely, a coping style incorporating physical activity and a focus on the positive, relates negatively to personal inhibitory factors. Somewhat surprisingly, teachers' use of socially embedded problem solving failed to relate to the perceived prominence of inhibitors to preferred management practice.