Principal Burnout, Accomplishment, and Secondary Trauma: A Mixed-Method Study of School Leader Emotions

• In Event: Understanding Stressors and Motivators of School Principals

Abstract

Principals work a demanding job and often learn about student trauma, yet they are rarely prepared to cope with the stress and emotions inherent to their position. In this study, we used an explanatory sequential mixed-method design to measure principal burnout, accomplishment, and secondary trauma and then used interviews to understand more about principal emotions through a qualitative analysis of critical events. We found that principals reported feeling burnout and stress, but that school demographics had little relationship to these variables. We identified specific events principals confront in the course of their work that can add to or alleviate their stress and burnout levels. We conclude with implications for future research and practice.

Authors

• David Edward DeMatthews, The University of Texas - Austin

• Elena Izquierdo, The University of Texas - El Paso

• Paul A Carrola, UT El Paso

• David S. Knight, University of Texas at El Paso