WORKPLACE CHALLENGES AND COPING STRATEGIES OF KINDERGARTEN TEACHER ASSISTANTS

This research article aimed to identify the challenges and concerns encountered by preschool teacher assistants in their workplace, examine the strategies they use to overcome these difficulties, and assess the validity and reliability of the research instrument employed in the study. The study included 212 teacher assistants selected through random sampling from 35 public and private kindergartens located in both Ulaanbaatar City and rural areas of Mongolia. Participants included teacher assistants with more than six months of work experience. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS Statistics 26.0 software. The findings revealed that excessive workload (M = 3.00, SD = 1.23), large numbers of children (M = 2.97, SD = 1.20), and children’s behavioral issues (M = 2.92, SD = 1.19) were the most significant workplace challenges experienced by teacher assistants. Regarding coping strategies, active coping approaches were most commonly used, including self-encouragement and positive self-motivation (M = 2.83), taking action to improve working conditions (M = 2.79), and viewing difficulties from a positive perspective (M = 2.78). Furthermore, teacher assistants who had participated in training related to workplace challenges and stress management reported significantly lower levels of perceived workplace challenges compared to those who had not received such training, t(212)=-2.582, p=.011. In addition, a moderate positive correlation was identified between the overall level of workplace challenges and the use of coping strategies, r=.423, p<.001. These findings provide important evidence for preschool education institutions, educational policymakers, and professionals seeking to develop professional support systems and psychological intervention programs for teacher assistants working in early childhood education settings.