Principal Burnout, Secondary Trauma, and Compassion Satisfaction in a Large Urban School District

• In Event: Examining the Dynamics of Principal Turnover and Burnout

Abstract

This study uses an explanatory sequential mixed method design to examine principal burnout and exposure to secondary trauma. In the first, quantitative phase of the study, survey data was collected from a sample (n= 207, 94% response rate) of principals within one large urban school district in Texas. The second qualitative phase was conducted as a follow up to the quantitative results to help explain the quantitative results. We explored burnout, compassion satisfaction, and secondary trauma with 20 principals to understand how principals experience burnout, their coping strategies (and lack thereof), and the school-related events they associate with burnout. Our findings have implications for future research and the pre-service and in-service preparation of school leaders.

Authors

• David Edward DeMatthews, The University of Texas at Austin

• Pedro Reyes, The University of Texas at Austin