Associations Between Teaching Challenges, Professional Self-Esteem, and Instructional Knowledge Among Out-of-Field Teachers: The Mediating Role of Coping Mechanisms

This study examined how the challenges encountered by out-of-field senior high school (SHS) teachers are associated with their professional self-esteem and instructional knowledge, and whether coping mechanisms mediate these relationships. Using a quantitative, cross-sectional design grounded in a post-positivist paradigm, data were collected from 313 out-of-field SHS teachers in public secondary schools offering Academic Tracks in Northern Mindanao, Philippines. Aided by a structured self-report survey instrument, the relationship between the challenges experienced by out-of-field SHS teachers and their coping mechanisms, professional self-esteem, and instructional knowledge was analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling. Results revealed that challenges associated with teaching outside one’s field are significantly and negatively linked with both professional self-esteem and instructional knowledge, with a stronger association observed for instructional knowledge. Coping mechanisms showed a significant positive association with both outcomes and partially mediated the relationships between the challenges and teacher outcomes, further indicating a buffering but limited protective role. While all hypothesized paths were statistically significant, effect sizes and explained variances were modest, reflecting the complex, multifactorial nature of teacher experiences in out-of-field contexts. The findings extend social cognitive theory and the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge framework by demonstrating that individual coping and self-regulatory processes, while important, are insufficient for fully offsetting the effects of persistent role misalignment. The results underscore the need for institutional and systemic interventions¾including but not limited to targeted professional development, mentoring, and better alignment of teaching assignments—to support the professional identity and instructional competence of out-of-field SHS teachers.