<b>When Qualifications Exceed Opportunities: Coping Mechanisms and Psychological Well-Being among Underemployed Teachers in Nigeria</b><b></b>

Purpose: This study examines the coping mechanisms employed by underemployed teachers to manage the psychological strain associated with working below their qualification level within Nigeria's private education sector. Methodology: A qualitative case study design was adopted. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with twelve purposively selected teachers at a private nursery and primary school in Nigeria. Data were analysed thematically, guided by Carol Ryff's (1989) six-factor model of psychological well-being. Results: Teachers employed a range of adaptive coping strategies, including positive cognitive reframing, selective filtering of external judgement, practical skill-building and side-income activities, deliberate future planning, and reliance on supportive social networks. These mechanisms functioned as protective factors that helped participants sustain a sense of purpose, autonomy, and environmental mastery despite financial precarity and social devaluation, although some participants also reported maladaptive responses such as social withdrawal and emotional exhaustion. Novelty and Contribution: This study extends the underemployment literature, which has largely focused on graduates in general, by examining the specific coping repertoire of private-school teachers through the lens of Ryff's psychological well-being framework, an intersection that remains underexplored in the Nigerian context. Social and Practical Implications: The findings support the need for fair compensation policies, structured mentorship programmes, accessible mental health services, and professional development pathways for underemployed teachers, alongside broader public recognition of the value of the teaching profession.