Principals’ Compassion Fatigue and Compassion Satisfaction: Job Demands and Resources Analysis During the Post-Pandemic Recovery

• In Event: Cultivating Resilience During Challenging Times: Stories of Underrepresented and Marginalized Leaders

Abstract

The school principalship, one of the most demanding roles in K-12 education (Reid et al., 2021), has become even more challenging in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. Principals are tasked with navigating instructional leadership, managing personnel, fostering a positive school climate, and engaging with the community, all while adapting to the evolving educational landscape (Kaufman et al., 2022). The pandemic introduced unprecedented complexities such as fluctuating instructional modes, health guidelines, resource disparities, and heightened mental health concerns, exacerbating the already significant issue of principal burnout and turnover (NASSP, 2021). Data indicate that pre-pandemic principal turnover rates were around 18% annually, with nearly half of new principals leaving within three years (NASSP, 2022). The post-pandemic context has only intensified these challenges, driven by ongoing pandemic repercussions, political tensions, and limited guidance (NASSP, 2021). Addressing principal burnout and turnover requires mitigating mental health risks and fostering psychological well-being among principals.

Purpose: This study investigates how job demands and resources affect principals’ compassion fatigue and satisfaction during post-pandemic recovery. The research aims to answer: 1) What are the main stressors experienced by principals? 2) How do stressors and job resources influence compassion fatigue and satisfaction? 3) What professional support do principals need?
Theoretical Background: The study employs the job demands-resources model (Bakker & Demerouti, 2017) and the dual-factor model of mental health (Antaramian et al., 2010). These frameworks help analyze how job demands (stressors) and resources (self-efficacy, district connectedness, professional support) concurrently influence principals' negative (compassion fatigue) and positive (compassion satisfaction) mental health outcomes.

Method: Data were collected from 247 principals in California via the Principal Resilience Study survey, administered by the 21st Century California School Leadership Academy. The survey included quantitative measures (Lin et al., 2023) of principal stressors, district connectedness, self-efficacy, collective efficacy, professional support, and compassion fatigue/satisfaction. An open-ended question explored additional stressors and professional support needs. Quantitative data were analyzed using regression and path analyses, while qualitative responses were thematically coded (Braun & Clarke, 2006).

Results: Quantitative findings indicated that staffing shortages, COVID-19 spillover effects, community needs, and workload were top stressors, significantly associated with compassion fatigue. Self-efficacy and professional support were linked to increased compassion satisfaction. However, district connectedness intensified the impact of stressors on compassion fatigue. The qualitative analysis emphasized the importance of professional support through communities of practice, communication, and collaboration between schools and districts, coaching, professional development, peer support, more staffing, and well-being and mental health support.

Scientific or Scholarly Significance: This study provides a comprehensive understanding of principals' mental health in the context of post-pandemic recovery. By integrating the job demands-resources and dual-factor models, it highlights the need for targeted professional support systems to mitigate stressors and enhance principals’ well-being. The findings inform policies aimed at stabilizing the principal workforce and promoting mental health resilience among school leaders.

Authors

• Chunyan Yang, University of Maryland

• Ella Rho, University of Maryland

• Jin Hyung Lim, University of California - Berkeley

• Rebecca Cheung, University of California - Berkeley