Associations Between Elementary Principal and Teacher Stress During COVID-19: A Mixed Methods Study (Poster 28)

• In Event: AERA Poster Session Thursday 1:45 p.m.
  In Poster Session: Poster Session for Stress, Resilience, and Coping

Abstract

This sequential explanatory mixed method study explored associations between elementary principal and elementary teacher stress during the COVID-19 pandemic. A district-wide quantitative survey of teacher perceptions of school climate revealed campuses with high and low levels of elementary teacher stress in the 2021-2022 school year. Qualitative interviews were then conducted with six elementary principals in August 2022 about their perceptions of stress in their schools. Results indicated that principals in schools with high levels of teacher stress perceived their job stressors as more demanding and high-stakes than principals in schools with low levels of teacher stress. Findings reveal a more nuanced understanding of how principals' perceptions and experiences of occupational stressors are associated with teacher stress on their campus.

Authors

• Trisha Miller, University of Texas at Austin

• Christopher J. McCarthy, University of Texas at Austin

• Richard G. Lambert, University of North Carolina - Charlotte

• Jamie Kudlats, University of North Carolina - Charlotte

• Teresa Tian, University of Texas at Austin