Promoting a Culture of Care: Organization-level Variation in the Impact of Well-Being First on Head Start Educators’ Well-Being

• In Event: Innovative Intervention Approaches to Promote Holistic Well-Being, Competence, and Retention of Early Childhood Educators

Abstract

1. Objectives/Purposes
Socially and emotionally competent, resilient teachers are essential to creating stable, responsive classroom climates that support children’s development (Jennings & Greenberg, 2009). Yet Head Start (HS) educators face systemic challenges—such as low wages, high demands, and elevated stress, depression, and burnout—that undermine their well-being (Wilson et al., 2023). Given that educators’ well-being is dynamic and shaped by environmental factors (Roberts et al., 2019), interventions need to address organizational conditions. This study evaluates the impact of Well-Being First (WBF), a multi-component intervention designed to promote educator and organizational well-being in HS settings. We examine whether WBF’s effects vary across participating HS grantee organizations.

2. Theoretical framework
This study draws on the Improvement Science framework, which emphasizes iterative, context-responsive approaches to change in complex educational systems (Lewis, 2015). Rather than applying a one-size-fits-all model, WBF supports localized problem-solving tailored to each setting’s unique needs. The participants developed site-specific goals and improvement strategies based on their organizational context. This study examines how such variation shaped the impact of WBF across sites.

3. Methods
WBF was delivered to HS educators through three days of professional development, collaborative reflection, a four-hour leadership training, six monthly consultation sessions, and well-being toolkits. A randomized controlled trial tested its effectiveness using a mixed-methods approach, combining surveys, interviews, and implementation data. In this study, we ran random effects models in Stata 15.0 across three waves using data from the treatment group to assess within-group variation in WBF’s impact. To examine whether effects varied by site, we included a wave × grantee interaction term in each model. This tested whether changes in educator outcomes differed across participating organizations. Applied thematic analysis was used for interview and implementation data.
4. Data sources
A total of 462 educators across nine HS grantees participated in the study (163 treatment, 299 control). Table 1 shows participant characteristics. Surveys were administered at three waves: pre-intervention, post-training, and after six months of implementation. Measures included validated scales of psychological well-being, professional well-being, and workplace climate (see Table 2). Post-intervention interviews were conducted with eight participants.

5. Results
Table 2 presents the results from the random effects models. Main effects for waves were rarely significant, and directions were inconsistent with expectations. However, several significant wave × grantee interactions emerged, and joint tests of interaction terms were significant for all outcomes except perceived stress, indicating site-level variation in impact. Effects were especially pronounced for organizational outcomes such as secondary traumatic stress, emotional exhaustion, and organization culture and climate, aligning with the intervention’s emphasis on workplace culture. Implementation and interview data analyses showed general improvements in organizational well-being, team functioning, and daily work and self-care. However, implementation of well-being strategies varied by grantees.

6. Significance
By centering educator voice and lived experience, WBF offers a collaborative, context-responsive model for supporting HS educators. Site-level variations were confirmed through both quantitative and qualitative data. These findings underscore the critical role of organizational context in shaping intervention success.

Authors

• Lieny Jeon, University of Virginia

• Shuai Li, University of Virginia

• Xiangyu Zhao, University of Virginia

• Sarah Chapman, University of Virginia