Poster #71 - “Meditation, Medication, Acknowledgement, and Acceptance;” Early Educator’s Work, Stress and Coping During the COVID-19 Pandemic

• In Event: Poster Session 08

Abstract

Introduction
Early childhood (EC) educators experience high physical, emotional, and cognitive job demands, often without adequate support and resources (Kwon, 2020). This results in high rates of stress, burnout and turnover which negatively impacts their interactions with children, and in turn, children’s well-being and social-emotional development (Ansari et al., 2020). The Covid-19 pandemic has intensified vulnerabilities in the field, making understanding the relationship between stress and coping of providers and the support they provide for children at a vital developmental time more urgent (Quinn et al., 2022). The current study seeks to do this by using mixed methods to answer the following questions: 1) How do early educators see their stress impacting their work and the support they provide for children and families in the pandemic context? 2) What workplace supports do early educators feel they need to manage job-related stressors and support the development of children in their care? 3) How do early educators cope with stress?

Methods
Data was collected in spring 2022 from a diverse group of EC professionals (n=112), including teachers, assistant teachers, leaders, and paraprofessionals from private and publicly funded programs. Programs were located in a small southeastern city and surrounding areas and served infants, toddlers and pre-kindergarteners (see Table 1). Mean class size was 13 (see Table 2). Participants were recruited by a community partner via an email listserv. Participants completed an online survey that included closed and open-ended items. Descriptive analyses of quantitative survey data were completed using Stata software. A subset of early educators, (n = 8) were interviewed using a semi-structured format. Interviews took place via zoom or in person and were transcribed verbatim. Open-ended survey items and interview transcripts are being coded inductively using a consensus coding process and taking reflexivity into account, documenting processes, and reflecting on positionality (Finlay, 2002; Richards & Hemphill, 2018).

Results
32.53% of EC educators reported that their stress impacts their interactions with and the support they provide to children a moderate amount to a great deal, and 40% of educators report that they do not have workplace supports to help them manage their own stress and mental health. EC educators most frequently selected additional planning time, training regarding mental health in young children, smaller teacher-child ratios, and more outside referrals for intervention as program-based factors that would support their mental health and ability to promote development and well-being of children. Adequate compensation and resources such as materials and safe learning environments emerged as additional desired support in coding of open-ended responses. Preliminary coding of qualitative data indicates that early educators are using a variety of adaptive coping strategies (e.g., maintaining physical health, exercise, work-life balance, seeking social support, faith and spirituality, acceptance, mindfulness practices, therapy, psychotropic medication, finding meaning in their work) to manage their own stress in order to support the children and families they serve. Findings will have implications for understanding the strengths, needs, and current priorities of the EC education workforce as they work to support children and families.

Authors

• Marissa Ann Bivona, University of Virginia - Charlottesville
  Presenting Author

• Kyra Parker, University of Virginia - Charlottesville

• Amanda P Williford, University of Virginia - Charlottesville