Theses and Dissertations

Date of Award

Spring 6-10-2022

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education

Advisor

Jennifer Reeves

Committee Member

Candi Lacey

Keywords

coping, coronavirus (COVID-19), teacher exhaustion, teacher stress, well-being

Abstract

Secondary teachers across the United States have had various experiences due to the COVID-19 global pandemic during the 2020-2021 school year. These experiences may have influenced teacher exhaustion and their ability to cope with numerous stressors related to COVID-19. This applied dissertation was designed to provide additional clarity to districts related to secondary teachers’ daily work experiences and attitudes while teaching during the COVID-19 global pandemic.

Secondary teachers were surveyed on how they perceived their occupational demands related specifically to emotional exhaustion, personal accomplishments, and depersonalization utilizing the Maslach Burnout Inventory- Educators (MBI-ES). The study also examined how secondary teachers’ coping mechanisms influenced their perception of well-being and its impact on the primary method of instruction (i.e., face-to-face, blended, or fully virtual) during the COVID-19 global pandemic using the Impact of Coronavirus Pandemic on Secondary Teachers Survey (IC-19PSTS). The results indicated significant, negative correlations between Depersonalization and well-being and Depersonalization and coping. Similar analysis reported that Personal Accomplishment and coping were significantly, positively correlated, while there was a moderate positive correlation found between coping mechanisms and well-being. The overarching discoveries to the study were that professional development benefits teachers during crisis by contributing to their overall feeling of Personal Accomplishment and teachers who choose positive coping mechanisms improve their overall well-being.

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