Factors That Mitigate Secondary Traumatic Stress Among Elementary Title I Teachers: A Phenomenological Study

• In Event: The Dynamic Interplay Between Teacher and Student Experiences, Motivational Beliefs, and Achievement

Abstract

Research on secondary traumatic stress show that individuals in helping professions who provide support for trauma-exposed youth are at risk of developing secondary trauma symptoms. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of elementary teachers at Title I schools to understand how they experience STS and the personal, behavioral, and environmental factors that influence its impact. Data were collected during semi structured interviews with 15 participants who teach in Title I elementary schools in Southern California. Six themes emerged from the data: (a) perceptions of students’ home environments, (b) challenges supporting students’ needs, (c) emotional awareness, (d) desired structures and protocols, (e) coping and support, and (f) fulfillment.

Authors

• Christine Boyer Balbuena, ABC Unified School District

• MD Haque, Univeristy of La Verne