Environment and Social Psychology

Inclusive Education Management and the Psychological Transformation of Special Education Teachers: The Impact of Training on Professional Competence and Identity

Amka

Department of Special Education, Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Lambung Mangkurat University, Banjarmasin, Indonesia

Imam Yuwono

Department of Special Education, Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Lambung Mangkurat University, Banjarmasin, Indonesia

Siiti Jaleha

Department of Special Education, Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Lambung Mangkurat University, Banjarmasin, Indonesia

Devira Putro Giana

Department of Special Education, Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Lambung Mangkurat University, Banjarmasin, Indonesia

DOI: https://doi.org/10.59429/esp.v10i11.4279

Keywords: Inclusive education management; school climate; psychosocial mechanisms; teacher self-efficacy; reflective learning; organizational support; mixed methods

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Abstract

This study confronts a critical research gap in the evaluation of inclusive education training, which has predominantly emphasized teachers’ cognitive gains while neglecting the psychosocial mechanisms—self-efficacy, critical reflection, and professional identity—and managerial boundary conditions, such as supportive leadership and structured collaboration, that enable sustainable transformation. Framed within an integrated management–psychosocial model, this mixed-methods investigation assesses both the effectiveness of inclusive training and the dynamic interplay between managerial practices and teachers’ psychological adaptation. Employing a one-group pretest–posttest design with 71 participants, the study utilized a 25-item instrument (Content Validity Index [CVI] = 0.91; KR-20 reliability = 0.82) scaled from 0–100. Quantitative analyses included Wilcoxon signed-rank testing, rank-biserial correlation (r_rb) with 95% confidence intervals, Benjamini–Hochberg false discovery rate (FDR) control, and Brown–Forsythe variance homogeneity assessment. A minimally important difference (MID) of 10 points was established a priori. Complementary qualitative data were analyzed thematically and integrated via joint display matrices. The findings revealed a statistically significant increase in overall competency—from 66.31 to 82.45 (Δ = +16.14)—with 92.9% of participants surpassing the MID threshold and no observed score declines. Gains were consistent across domains (managerial Δ +14.89; adaptive strategy Δ +17.17; psychosocial Δ +16.33) and accompanied by reduced variance, indicating a convergence in teacher competence. Thematic synthesis highlighted mastery experiences, modeling, and dialogic feedback as pivotal drivers of self-efficacy and professional identity reconstruction, with optimal outcomes occurring under supportive leadership and institutionally safeguarded collaboration time. The study advances an integrative conceptualization of management as the contextual catalyst and psychology as the mediating mechanism of professional change, validated through the convergence of quantitative and qualitative evidence. Managerially, the results advocate embedding reflective practices, formalizing collaborative structures, and strengthening instructional leadership as essential levers for sustaining inclusive education.

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