The Relationship Between SNEd Teachers’ Self-Efficacy, Empathy, and the Academic Performance of Students with Special Needs in A Philippine School

Abstract

This research examined the relationship between Special Needs Education (SNED) teachers’ self-efficacy, empathy, and the academic performance of students with special needs at the University of San Carlos - Basic Education Department South Campus Elementary School during the school year 2024–2025. Utilizing a descriptive-correlational design, the study employed complete enumeration of 23 SNED teachers as respondents. Self-efficacy was assessed across seven sub-domains namely decision-making, school resource influence, instructional strategies, behavioral management, parental and community involvement, and school climate using Bandura’s (1997) Teacher Self-Efficacy Scale. Teacher empathy was measured using the Teacher Empathy Scale by Tanhan, Kasap, Hasan, and Ünsal (2022). Academic performance data were collected from 46 students with special needs assigned to these teachers. The findings revealed that SNED teachers had high to very high levels of self-efficacy, particularly in managing discipline, fostering parental involvement, and creating a positive school climate. Empathy was also rated very high among teachers. Most students demonstrated "Very Satisfactory" academic performance, with an average score of 83.59. Of all variables tested, only the self-efficacy domain related to influencing school resources showed a statistically significant moderate positive correlation with student academic performance. No significant relationships were found between student performance and the other domains of self-efficacy or empathy. Based on these findings, an action plan was proposed to strengthen inclusive education through enhanced teacher training, school- community collaboration, and resource support.