From Stress to Resilience: A Systematic Review of Coping Strategies Among South African Pre-Service Teachers During Teaching Practice

Abstract

Teaching practicum is a critical phase in teacher education that enables pre-service teachers (PSTs) to transition from theoretical knowledge to practical teaching experiences. In the South African context, characterized by historical inequalities and resource constraints, this transition presents unique challenges that shape PSTs’ experiences. However, this phase introduces significant stressors that affect PSTs’ well-being and retention. This study explores the coping strategies PSTs employ during teaching practice, how these strategies foster resilience, and their effectiveness across contexts. Guided by the Transactional Model of Stress and Coping (TMSC) and following PRISMA guidelines, the study synthesized 19 peer-reviewed articles published between 2015 and 2025 from the Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar databases. While the primary focus is on South Africa, selected studies from other countries were included to contextualize and support the interpretation of findings. The findings were organized into four key categories: stressors, which include primary and secondary appraisal; coping strategies, divided into emotion-focused and problem-focused approaches; resilience outcomes; and the impact of these coping strategies. While the study found that stressors encompass insufficient resources, classroom management, workload, and mentorship, PSTs employed problem- and emotion-focused strategies—including improvisation, feedback-seeking, technology use, reflection, mindfulness, spirituality, and peer support—to mitigate these stressors. These coping strategies led to resilience outcomes, including self-efficacy, emotional well-being, and intrapersonal resilience. Their effect varied across contexts, with resource constraints limiting effectiveness in rural settings. These findings have implications for strengthening South Africa’s teacher education system and offer transferable insights for other resource-constrained post-colonial contexts globally.