Occupational stress and burnout in special education teachers

¶ … Special Education Teachers

Special Education Vacancies

Recruitment, Hiring, and Retention

Barriers to Hiring

Barriers to retaining special education personnel.

Incentives used to improve retention.

Recommendations to Improve Recruitment and Retention

Adequate Supply of Special Education Professionals

Resources

Teachers today are subject to more stress than ever. Increasing certification requirements, re-certification, assessments, federal standards, demanding children, apathetic parents and an unsupportive administration are just the tip of the iceberg. Special education teachers have special circumstances. While other schoolteachers have some teachers who don't want to learn, special ed teachers are charged with the task of teaching to students who have difficulty learning, whose behavior problems are associated with an illness or handicap, whose needs for special attention are great. Teacher burnout is on the rise, and it's no wonder. This study will examine existing sources as well as conducting a survey of a sample population to assess the primary causes of occupational stress for special education teachers, and to develop recommendations that work towards a viable solution.

Statement of Problem

America is facing a teacher shortage in the field of special education. In part, demographics forecasts spell out the shortage, sheer sets of numbers; irrefutable statistics. In part, the shortage is due to retention, teachers who are leaving the profession early. Much of the exodus is due to burnout, and generally happens within the first five years of a teachers' career. There are differing theories regarding burnout, but there is consensus on the stressors that lead to "overload." Workplace conditions, the nature of the work and administrative and regulatory requirements are areas where stress gestates.

Introduction study that appeared in the Memphis Flyer in 1997 stated that of the country's 2.5 million schoolteachers, almost 67% are over the age of forty, 54% have either a master's degree or six years of college, and 38% have been teaching a minimum of twenty years (with a mean of sixteen years). At first glance it seems to express that our teacher pool is experienced and that teachers possess longevity, two positive traits for our educator workforce. (Surpuriya, T. & Jordan, M.,1997)

However, carried forward into the next decade or two, the demographics paint a wave of population growth and change that will require an influx of teachers into the workforce. The National Commission on Teaching and America's Future issued a report that stated two million teachers would need to be recruited over the next decade to fill the void left by the combination of exiting retirees and entering new students.

Teacher burnout is a significant problem facing special education teachers today. Burnout threatens the ability of teachers to sustain and thrive in a demanding and much needed profession. Among the many causes of teacher burnout are low pay, increasing administrative requirements, unruly or needy students, and parents who are either combative or apathetic. The key factor that leads to teacher burnout seems to be linked to not just one causal symptom, but the teacher's ability to reconcile the conflicting demands with his or her personal life.

Literature Review

In a survey conducted by the Victorian Independent Education Union, the elements of stress factors related to burnout for teachers were examined. (Education and Stress, 1996) According to the report, "stress" refers to an internal state which results from demanding, frustrating or unsatisfying conditions. Occupational stress originates in the workplace.

Workplace stress and life stress in general are commonplace. Low levels of healthy stress can be a catalyst for the excretion of endorphins and accelerated performance. Stress can be physiolical or psychological in nature. Someone may experience an unpleasant feeling of distress or tension in reaction to the way they perceive a situation. When the situation is repeated, or when prolonged exposure to the situation occurs, damage can occur - the person can lose their sense of internal balance.

Stress manifests itself in many forms: irritability, anxiety, depression, nervousness, aloofness, aggressiveness, and even alcohol and drug use. Stress can affect physical health as well, as revealed in signs of fatigue, high blood pressures, susceptibility to illness (tension headaches, for instance) and more. There have been many studies regarding stress and teaching. Rosemarie Otto of Australia conducted studies in the early eighties relating to teachers (Otto, R., 1982) and in 1996 VIEU and NSW/ACT IEU looked at occupational stress of union members who were employed in Catholic and Independent Schools.

Both surveys looked at workplace conditions and workloads. Three significant themes emerged: leadership culture, work hours and class sizes. Teachers responded that, with regard to leadership culture, their perceptions of the culture in their schools was either autocratic or consultative, with limited access. A small minority felt their schools were very democratic (6.6% Victoria, 8.7% NSW) or democratic (23.7% Victoria; 28.4% NSW).

Nearly 50% of the Victorian respondents reported in excess of twenty-one hours of direct student contact per week (with 7.8% in excess of twenty five hours). NSW comparatively reported 42.8% and 17.4%, respectively. In terms of total hours spent in the workplace on a weekly basis, 55.3% of Victoria teachers and 45.9% of NSW spent greater than 41 hours per week in the workplace, as well as 20.5% (VIEU) and 26.7% (NSW) reporting in excess of 11 hours school work completed at home. In addition, both studies noted the added times of being called to school during evening hours and on weekends for school related activities.

As for the third theme, 60.4% of teachers in Catholic schools reported classes in excess of 26 students (18.1% taught classes greater than 31) while 23.9% of teachers in independent schools reported similar class sizes.

In addition to the three prevailing themes of workplace conditions that emerged from the two study results, other factors associated with stress were identified as ambiguous job descriptions, lack of employee input into job functions and the demands on the employee's time outside of the workplace. Four workplace stressors were identified as primary causes of occupational stress for teachers. These include: workload, professionalism, communications/management and career prospects. (Education and Stress, 1996)

Workload stressors were identified as:

multiplicity of tasks that needed to be performed within a set period of time. (85.1% VIEU and 91.9% NSW considered this a "high" or "moderate" stressor.

Unrelenting demand of work effort; student reporting/assessment and diversity of student needs (75.9% VIEU and 86.2% NSW - "high" or "moderate"

Professionalism Stressors were identified as:

The effort to keep up with changes in the field of education (79.4% VIEU and 76.8% NSW)

The effort to continually adopt new teaching strategies and approaches (70.2% Victoria; 78.4% NSW)

Communications/Management Stressors were identified as:

Quality of staff communications (61.8% Victoria; 74.1% NSW)

Quality of staff consultation (66.6% Victoria; 74.1% NSW)

School Decision making process (67.1% Victoria; 77.5% NSW)

Career Prospects were identified as:

Perceived lack of fit between pay and skills/responsibilities (69.3% Victoria; 75.2% NSW)

Lack of opportunity for growth (61.8% Victoria; 59.6% NSW).

Interestingly, both studies asked respondents to identify personal symptoms of stress that occurred at home or during personal time. This is important, because the extent to which an individual is experiencing personal stress will affect how susceptible he or she is to occupational stress. The table below summarizes the responses from both study groups:

VIEU

NSW

Irritability at home

Internal feelings of anxiety

Feelings of powerlessness and futility

Recommendations to Improve Recruitment and Retention

The purpose of the study was to assess the status of special education personnel needs. In addition to creating a telling snapshot of the composition of the pool of special education personnel as well as the approach by human resources to attract and retain such personnel, the study brought forth the following recommendations by Special Education and Human Resources directors for improving recruitment and retention. The suggestions fell within four specific areas of focus: 1. Financial support, 2. Non-Financial support, 3. Paperwork and legal issues and 4. Teacher preparation and certification.

Financial support can take many forms, including the most obvious, that being salary adjustments. Other financial incentives can include stipends and increased benefits. Non-financial support can include opportunities for professional development and recognition, reduced class sizes or caseload limits, mentors and training. With regard to paperwork issues, streamlining the paperwork process to eliminate redundancies was a primary suggestion. Reductions in red tape and less confusing laws and regulations were also cited as areas for attention. As for teacher preparation and certification, some survey respondents suggested reviewing the certification process to provide added flexibility.

Adequate Supply of Special Education Professionals

To summarize, the TEA study revealed the steps recommended by human resources professionals to increase and retain a sufficient supply of special education teachers. Among the recommendations offered, the human resources personnel suggest offering financial and non-financial incentives, improving the workplace environment, offering professional recognition and advancement opportunities and streamlining the certification process.

The TEA report developed the following recommendations with regard to special education candidates:

Enhance recruitment of secondary students and career changers through exposure campaigns, information dissemination, and financial incentives, such as grants, scholarships, tuition reimbursement, and loan forgiveness

Attract minority candidates to meet increasing bilingual demands by providing financial incentives and academic support

Promote special education as a desirable career choice by exposing potential candidates to special education experiences, such as tutoring, service learning projects, or dual credit courses related to special education

Conduct campaigns to disseminate educational and employment information through job fairs, the Internet, and college and university contacts

Seek legislative support to ensure teacher salaries are competitive and reflect degree and certification requirements

Provide signing bonuses and annual stipends for educators serving in critical special education shortage areas

Promote business partnerships, (e.g., home mortgage assistance) to provide financial support for teachers working in rural areas

Develop stipend and bonus plans to recognize advanced degrees, additional certifications or credentials, and professional development achievements

Offer attractive benefit packages, including comprehensive health care benefits, flexible spending accounts, and district-supported child care facilities

Address legal complexities by supporting federal- and state-level initiatives to streamline rules and regulations

Provide clerical support for targeted paperwork responsibilities

Purchase computers and software management programs to streamline paperwork requirements and provide technology training to support use

Provide adequate classroom space, textbooks, instructional materials, and equipment

Support collaborative and individual planning time as part of the regular school schedule

Provide mentoring programs for novice teachers and support peer coaching programs for experienced teachers

Match assigned roles and responsibilities to teacher qualifications

Provide career-path options that enable teachers to move into leadership or master teacher positions

Increase overt district and campus recognition and support for special education services and personnel

Promote uniform state-to-state certification standard

Develop different types of certifications for defined job roles and responsibilities (i.e., categorical, multicategorical, generic; preschool, elementary, and secondary)

In a study published in the International Education Journal in 2003, Dworkin, Saha and Hill developed a questionnaire that was distributed to 2,961 urban public school teachers. The primary findings of the study were that teachers who perceived their principals as non-authoritarian, participative and supportive were less likely to experience burnout than teachers whose perceptions of their school were exactly opposite. (Dworkin, A.G., Saha, L.J. & Hill, 2003)

According to Dworkin, the concept of "burnout" was originated by psychologist Freudenberger (1974) to describe "a malady experienced by human service professionals who appear to 'wear out,' or reach a stage where they are no longer able to perform their tasks effectively, and sometimes even to care about their clients." Burnout is viewed in psychological circles as the loss of ability to cope with job related stress. Maslach and Jackson define burnout as a loss of idealism and enthusiasm for work that is manifested by exhaustion, depersonalization, depression, low morale and emotional withdrawal (Maslach and Jackson 1981). Because burnout is described in psychological terms as the loss of ability to cope, blame is often ascribed to the victims rather than the underlying causes. (Abel and Sewell 1999; Cedoline 1982; Farber 1991; Gold and Roth (1993; Pines 1993; Shaw, Bensky, and Dixon 1981; and Swick and Hanley 1983). Social psychologists that view burnout as the organizationally induced loss of idealism and enthusiasm still recommend coping strategies on the part of the individual as the solution. (Cherniss 1980, 1992; Maslach 1978a, 1978b, 1993; and Maslach and Jackson 1982).

Conversely, sociological views of burnout originate from the theory of alienation. This point-of-view, which is adopted by the Berkeley Planning Associates (1977), Dworkin (1987, 1997, 2000), Dworkin, Haney and Telschow. (1988, 1990), LeCompte and Dworkin (1991), Schwab and Iwanicki (1982), Sparks and Hammond (1981), considers burnout a by-product of role-specific alienation. Seeman builds on this perspective by defining burnout as the result of organizationally induced effects of powerlessness, meaninglessness, normlessness, isolation and estrangement. Seeman asserts that this burnout should addressed by organizational change rather than personal coping. (Seeman, 1959, 1975)

Methodology

There has been considerable research and attention nationwide focused upon the issue of teacher shortages, burnout and substandard working conditions for teachers. Some research asserts that burnout is the result of excessive occupational stress, while others feel that burnout is a reflection of individual coping abilities. This survey will attempt to identify the causes and triggers of stress that lead to burnout for special education teachers.

This research is especially important because of the impending crises of teacher shortages, particularly in the area of special education. The survey questions will be distributed to a subset of special education teachers located in Muscogee County, Georgia. There are seven high schools in the district, which comprise 9,602 high school students and 1,104 special education students. The average student to teacher ratio statewide is 15.9:1 while the average special ed student to teacher ratio is 17.7:1.

The research will prove insightful to the current state of high school special education in the region and in the country, and can be duplicated among other schools and counties throughout the nation. In this regard, it is intended that the results of the survey and any subsequent policy changes accurately reflect the needs and desires of the high school special needs programs and enhance the effectiveness of high school special needs teachers.

Data Collection

There are 1,470,634 high school students enrolled in the state of Georgia. The average expenditure per student is $6,929. A total of 92,732 teachers are employed full time in Georgia high schools.

Student Characteristics

Free Lunch

Pupil/teacher ratio

Number of FTE teachers

Georgia

Muscogee County

The following table lists high schools in the Muscogee County School District.

There are 9,602 students in the school district, 816 special education students (approximately 11.5%) and 62 special education teachers. The survey was distributed to all special education teachers within the county as well as to their superiors (approximately 20 individuals).

Subject Population

SAMPLE POPULATION DISTRIBUTION

Students

Pupil / Teacher

Teachers

Special Ed Students

S.E. Teachers

S.E. Pupil / Teacher

Carver High School

Columbus High School

Hardaway High School

Jordan Vocational High School

Kendrick High School

Shaw High School

Spencer High School

Total/Average

In addition to questions relating to stress indicators, teachers were asked to fill in a detailed biographical questionnaire with information on gender, age, teaching experience, number of pupils in the classroom, hours for preparation and marriage status. The original sample population was comprised of 44.3% of males and 65.4% of females. The age distribution was 47.8% from 31 to 40 years old, 24.2% from 41 to 50 and 17% over the age of 50. 81.42% were married. More than half of the teachers qualified as devoting in excess of 21 hours per week with students. Two thirds spent 0-5 hours per week on preparation. The table below illustrates the demographic composition of the sample population

Variable

Demographic Categories

Gender

Males

Females

Age Groups

Up to 30 years

31-40 years

41-50 years over 51

Marital Status

Married

Single

Teaching Experience

-10 years

11-20 years

21-30 years over 30

Teaching Hours per week

10 hours

11-20 hours over 21 hours

Preparation time per week

5 hours

6-10 hours over 11

Instrumentation questionnaire was designed to assess special education teachers' perceptions of their experiences. Fifteen questions were designed on a Likert-type of rating scale, with responses ranging from a possible 1 to 6. A "1" represented no stress at all, "2" represented some stress, "3" - moderate stress, "4" - high levels of stress, "5" - a challenge, and "6" being extreme stress. The items being rated represented known causes of stress that had been previously identified by existing research. The causes were divided into three categories: the nature of the work (issues with students), the workplace environment, and the school administration & regulatory environment. The factors to be rated were as follows:

Nature of the Work

Lack of pupil's progress

Limited pupil's interest

Facing difficult pupils

Pupils with social problems and outside issues

Special attention required by individual pupils

Workplace Environment

Heavy workload

Significant lack of resources and equipment

Increased number of pupils

Wage Deficiency

Lack of Recognition

Administration & Regulatory

Lack of help from the government

Lack of support from leadership

Lack of co-operation with colleagues

Excessive paperwork requirements

Excessive certification requirements

The survey responses will be compared with current research in order to assess the commonality or variance in results. The survey will attempt to identify and validate common causes of burnout for special education teachers.

Analysis

Student responses were analyzed by frequency and percentage of responses to each question. The questionnaire was designed to identify those factors that ranked highest for stressors on the sliding scale provided. The key was to isolate the primary causes of stress leading to burnout. In addition to the rankings of the answers, the answers were compared by the sex and demographic characteristics of the respondents, it identify any revealing patterns among like groups, whether it be age, sex, years of experience or marital status. The results of the answer rankings are presented below.

Rank

Nature of the Work

Lack of pupil's progress

Limited pupil's interest

Facing difficult pupils

Pupils with social problems and outside issues

Special attention required by individual pupils

Rank

Workplace Environment

Heavy workload

Significant lack of resources and equipment

Increased number of pupils

Wage Deficiency

Lack of Recognition

Rank

Administration & Regulatory

Lack of help from the government

Lack of support from leadership

Lack of co-operation with colleagues

Excessive paperwork requirements

Excessive certification requirements

When the survey results were tabulated for the factors with the highest percentage ranking on a scale from 4-6 (indicating high levels of stress to extreme stress), the fifteen factors could be ranked according to their groups as follows:

Survey Responses

Nature of the Work

TL 4-6

Rank

Lack of pupil's progress

Limited pupil's interest

Facing difficult pupils

Pupils with social problems and outside issues

Special attention required by individual pupils

Workplace Environment

TL 4-6

Rank

Heavy workload

Significant lack of resources and equipment

Increased number of pupils

Wage Deficiency

Lack of Recognition

Administration & Regulatory

TL 4-6

Rank

Lack of help from the government

Lack of support from leadership

Lack of co-operation with colleagues

Excessive paperwork requirements

Excessive certification requirements

It is important to note that while a score of 1 on the survey response was an indicator of no stress at all, a ranking of 1 in assessing the results means that this is the most significant stressor and received the highest score among stressors. Therefore, the chart reflects the highest stressors as a 1 and the lowest stressors as a five.

The results of the survey are also tabulated by sex and by age, as evidenced in the chart below.

Rank

Answers

SEX

AGE

To 30 Yrs

Nature of the Work

Lack of pupil's progress

Limited pupil's interest

Facing difficult pupils

Pupils with social problems

Special attention required

Workplace Environment

Heavy workload

Significant lack of resources and equipment

Increased number of pupils

Wage Deficiency

Lack of Recognition

Administration & Regulatory

Lack of help from the government

Lack of support from leadership

Lack of co-operation with colleagues

Excessive paperwork requirements

Excessive certification requirements

All categories of occupational conditions indicate that females are more vulnerable to these factors, as well as employees between the ages of 31-40.

Results

Of the 82 surveys distributed, 51 of the special education teachers (83%) and 13 of the administrators (63%) responded. The response rate overall was high a full 78%. The answers to the survey questions by respondents are summarized below:

Nature of the Work

Lack of pupil's progress

Limited pupil's interest

Facing difficult pupils

Pupils with social problems and outside issues

Special attention required by individual pupils

Workplace Environment

Heavy workload

Significant lack of resources and equipment

Increased number of pupils

Wage Deficiency

Lack of Recognition

Administration & Regulatory

Lack of help from the government

Lack of support from leadership

Lack of co-operation with colleagues

Excessive paperwork requirements

Excessive certification requirements

The ranking, mean and standard deviation for survey responses are summarized in the table below:

Survey Responses

Nature of the Work

Rank

Mean

STD

Lack of pupil's progress

Limited pupil's interest

Facing difficult pupils

Pupils with social problems and outside issues

Special attention required by individual pupils

Workplace Environment

Rank

Mean

STD

Heavy workload

Significant lack of resources and equipment

Increased number of pupils

Wage Deficiency

Lack of Recognition

Administration & Regulatory

Rank

Mean

STD

Lack of help from the government

Lack of support from leadership

Lack of co-operation with colleagues

Excessive paperwork requirements

Excessive certification requirements

Discussion

The survey of the Muscogee County Special Education workforce revealed that the primary triggers for stress were:

Nature of Work: 1. Lack of Pupil's Progress and 2. Pupils with Social Problems.

Workplace Environment: 1. Wage Deficiency and 2. Heavy Workload

Administration & Regulatory: 1. Lack of help from government and 2. Lack of support from leadership.

There were some similarities between the stressors identified in Muscogee County and the study results from the Education and Stress Report (Education and Stress, 1996). While a heavy workload was the second highest ranked stressor in the workplace environment category, Education and Stress report indicated workplace stressors as a "multiplicity of tasks that needed to be performed within a set period of time, or: an unrelenting demand of work effort." Other similarities are with the TEA study. The Muskcogee results showed wage deficiency as the primary stressor in the workforce. The TEA human resources directors also chose salary as the first indicator of job retreat. While the order and ranking of certain elements may differ by survey, it is clear that there are commonalities among surveys conducted in different regions, states and countries that point to the same factors as underlying causes of burnout for special education teachers. They can be categorized succinctly in three ways: the nature of the work, the workload and workplace, and the administrative and regulatory environment.

Recommendations

High levels of stress and subsequent burnout are facts of life for special education teachers. In order to augment a critical shortage, steps must be taken to retain and recruit teachers in the field. Studies have shown that democratic rather than autocratic environments work best. If the teacher feels that he or she can contribute input on things that relate particularly to his or her job duties, scheduling, and work related issues, then the teacher can be more accepting of outcomes. It is important for the teacher to feel that his (or her) voice is heard.

It is equally important for the educator to have a source of support, a resource to turn to discuss difficult issues and matters of stress. A mentor or superior who is open and available is useful for advice on how to handle difficult situations and solve problems. Administrators should be trained to recognize the key stressors at work and to take proactive steps to mitigate their effect on the workplace. As for paperwork, initiatives need to come from the authorities that are establishing regulations and requirements, such as periodic assessments. A key recommendation is to reduce duplication and to take steps to streamline the paperwork process for teachers. If a teacher feels buried in paperwork, it will be difficult to focus one's attention on the teaching process and the quality of teaching in the classroom.

Special education teachers are special people. Many have shown longevity in their field and a passion for their work. They need a supportive work environment and recognition for the challenging work that they do. An evaluation should be conducted regarding the wage and promotion structure for special ed teachers with regard to all teachers and to other industries. There may be an adjustment in order. We should do all that we can do to help these brave souls, who choose one of the most demanding groups of students to work with under sometimes trying conditions, just to be a part of a tiny accomplishment for one special person. Teachers want to focus on the students, and they should be able to.

Resources

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