coping strategies with professional stress among school and career guidance counselors in light of the variable of experience - A field study at the Guidance and Counseling Center in M'Sila

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the extent to which school and vocational guidance counselors possess strategies for coping with occupational stress, as well as to identify differences in the level of strategy utilization according to the variable of experience. The study sample consisted of 84 counselors affiliated with the School and Vocational Guidance Center in the Wilaya of M’sila. The descriptive method was adopted due to its suitability for analyzing the counselors’ use of professional strategies. Data were collected using the Arabic short form of the Coping Strategies Scale developed by Abu Bakr Miftah Al-Mansouri, which measures counselors’ levels of employing a variety of strategies to manage pressures associated with their guidance responsibilities.

The study results indicated that the level of possession of coping strategies among school and vocational guidance counselors was generally high. The findings also revealed statistically significant differences in the level of strategy possession according to experience, favoring counselors with less than five years of professional experience. The study highlights the professional preparedness of counselors in managing occupational stress and underscores the importance of developing coping strategies across all experience levels to ensure effective counseling performance and to enhance the quality of services provided to learners.