The Weight of Care: Vicarious Trauma and Self-Efficacy Among Head Start Educators

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Friday 7:45 am - Gold 2
  In Roundtable Session: Teacher and Caregiver Well-being and Professional Identity

Abstract

Students entering Head Start classrooms with trauma can vicariously impact educators and their self-efficacy. This pre-pandemic transcendental phenomenological study explores the experiences of 13 Head Start educators in select public schools from southeastern Florida. These participants, adult survivors of childhood trauma, were identified based on self-reported ACE scores. This study revealed that, although most of the participants felt adequately prepared to handle behavioral issues, some were still struggling with vicarious trauma (VT) and compassion fatigue (CF). Further, the study highlights self-reflection to be a vital part of their daily practices to enhance vicarious resilience. This study corroborates previous research on VT and CF, however, we recommend further exploration of post-pandemic stresses to address the higher rates of attrition among educators.

Authors

• Elizabeth Urgell, Florida International University

• Rashmi Sharma, Western Illinois University

• Hongwei Yang, University of West Florida