Quiet Coping in Academic Workplaces: A Qualitative Study of Mental Health Disclosure Among University Employees

Mental health is an increasingly important concern in contemporary workplaces, including higher education institutions. Although universities have expanded mental health awareness initiatives, less is known about how employees themselves interpret emotional strain, decide whether to disclose it, and manage it within academic work environments. This study examines how university employees navigate mental health challenges in relation to disclosure decisions and coping practices at work. Using a qualitative design informed by grounded theory procedures, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 employees from a state university in the Philippines. Through iterative coding and constant comparison, six interrelated patterns were identified: pragmatic mental health awareness, cumulative workplace strain, professional risk appraisal, selective reliance on trusted colleagues, quiet coping practices, and uncertainty about formal institutional support. The findings suggest that awareness of mental well-being does not automatically lead to open disclosure. Instead, employees appear to weigh the possible interpersonal and professional consequences of speaking about distress before deciding whether to remain silent, disclose selectively, or manage strain privately. Building on these findings, the study develops the concept of quiet coping , defined as the private and selectively social management of emotional strain under conditions of uncertain psychological safety. The article also proposes the Quiet Coping Model of Mental Health Disclosure in Academic Workplaces , a contextually grounded analytic model that frames disclosure as a recursive process involving awareness, risk appraisal, relational trust, and coping choice. By connecting mental health literacy, organizational silence, disclosure research, and psychological safety, the study contributes a more integrated account of how university employees balance well-being needs with professional expectations.