Profiles of Early Childhood Special Educators’ Well-being and Implications for Creating Positive Early Learning Environments

• In Event: Poster Session 07
  In Poster Session: PS 07 Topic - Education, Schooling

Abstract

Early childhood special educators (ECSE) set the trajectory for the future learning and well-being of young children with disabilities (Denham et al., 2012), and children’s well-being is inextricably linked to the well-being of their teachers (Jennings, 2015). Despite the powerful influence of ECSE teachers during an especially sensitive period in a child’s development, little is known about ECSE teachers’ overall well-being. Current interventions aimed at improving teacher well-being have taken a unidimensional, one-size-fits-all approach that may fail to effectively address variability in teachers’ experiences and needs (Biglan et al., 2013). For example, educators serving young children with disabilities may face unique demands and stressors in comparison to general educators (Biglan et al., 2013; Claus et al., 2016) and thus have different well-being needs.With calls to make teacher wellness training universal for all teachers (Schussler et al., 2016), there is a critical need to learn how ECSE teachers experience well-being to inform the development of targeted, scalable interventions and teacher education programming that will lead to more optimal learning environments for young children with disabilities.

This study used an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design to explore multiple dimensions of ECSE teachers’ well-being and implications for child learning. Specifically, we addressed the following research questions: (a) Where do ECSE teachers fall on both positive and negative indicators of well-being? and (b) What are ECSE teachers’ profiles of well-being across positive and negative indicators of well-being?

ECSE educators (n = 131) completed a 76-item survey that included six established scales to measure well-being and mental health symptoms (see Figure 1). Results from the latent class analysis (LCA) revealed three profiles of ECSE teacher well-being, including teachers who are flourishing or fulfilled (high well-being, few symptoms of depression or anxiety), languishing (low well-being, higher symptoms of depression or anxiety), and vulnerable (high well-being, higher symptoms of depression or anxiety). Although the majority of ECSE teachers were classified as flourishing or fulfilled, educators classified as languishing or vulnerable made up 42% of the sample. Qualitative interviews suggested that the needs of these teachers varied.

Based on these results, programming and professional development opportunities should target teacher well-being and be individualized and responsive to the needs of ECSE teachers and their instructional settings. One-size-fits-all approaches may miss critical opportunities to support teachers who are languishing or at high risk of attrition. Additionally, findings suggest the importance of reducing stressors as well as identifying facilitators of well-being for teachers so that teachers are able to persist in the field. Lastly, targeting individual and systemic issues to support a more holistically healthy workforce is essential. Healthier teachers lead to healthier children, and more positive learning environments.. This study is the first of its kind to address teacher well-being profiles as a critical component of designing targeted support and professional development for ECSE teachers and necessary for optimizing developmental environments that promote young children’s learning. Additional implications for promoting children’s social behavioral and academic development as well as study limitations will be discussed.

Authors

• Heather L Walter, George Mason University
  Presenting Author

• Beth Tuckwiller, The George Washington University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Jennifer R Frey, Cincinnati Children's Hospital
  Non-Presenting Author

• Hallie Fox, The George Washington University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Elisabeth Kutscher, The George Washington University
  Non-Presenting Author