Teacher Self-Efficacy as a Moderator of the Relationship Between Perceived Stressors and Overall Stress During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Study of Dominican Public-School Teachers in the USAID LEER Project

Author

Yira I. Vargas, Clemson UniversityFollow

Date of Award

12-2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

International Family and Community Studies

Committee Chair/Advisor

Mark Small

Committee Member

Sue Limber

Committee Member

Arelis Moore

Committee Member

Laura Sanchez

Abstract

This study examined the predictive and moderating roles of teacher self-efficacy (TSE) in the relationship between teacher perceived COVID-19 pandemic-related stressors and overall stress among public-school teachers in the Dominican Republic. Using secondary data from the USAID Leer Project (2021), the study analyzed responses from 142 teachers who completed validated instruments measuring teacher self-efficacy (TSES), pandemic-related teacher stressors (Oros et al., 2020), and perceived stress (PSS-14). The study had three main objectives: (1) to examine whether pandemic-related stressors negatively predicted teacher self-efficacy in student engagement, instructional strategies, and classroom management; (2) to determine whether teacher self-efficacy moderated the relationship between pandemic-related stressors and perceived overall stress; and (3) to assess whether age significantly influenced perceived stress related to the use of new technologies. Descriptive findings indicated high average levels of self-efficacy across instructional domains, with uncertainty and work overload identified as the most prominent stressors. Regression analyses revealed that higher perceived teacher pandemic-related stressors significantly predicted greater overall stress (b = .58, p < .001), underscoring the emotional toll of the pandemic on teachers. Notably, perceived uncertainty about the duration and consequences of the pandemic was a significant positive predictor of teacher self-efficacy, suggesting that some educators might have interpreted uncertainty as a challenge, prompting adaptive engagement and professional growth.

However, teacher self-efficacy did not moderate the relationship between stressors and overall stress, and no significant age-based differences in technology-related stress were found, although mid-career teachers reported slightly higher stress levels.

Findings of this study emphasize the complex role of self-efficacy in crisis contexts and highlight the need for policies that go beyond individual-level support to address systemic and institutional challenges such as limited instructional resources, overcrowded classrooms, inconsistent administrative guidance, and high workloads. Strengthening teacher resilience in under-resourced contexts like the Dominican Republic, requires integrated strategies that combine professional development, mental health resources, and structural reforms.

Recommended Citation

Vargas, Yira I., "Teacher Self-Efficacy as a Moderator of the Relationship Between Perceived Stressors and Overall Stress During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Study of Dominican Public-School Teachers in the USAID LEER Project" (2025). All Dissertations. 4180.
https://open.clemson.edu/all_dissertations/4180

Author ORCID Identifier

https://orcid.org/0009-0003-4136-0192