The Cost of Caring: An Analysis of Teacher Burnout, Compassion Fatigue, Compassion Satisfaction, and Resilience

Abstract

This dissertation examines compassion fatigue (CF), secondary traumatic stress (STS), and burnout (BO) among Pennsylvania public school teachers and their intentions to leave the profession. It also explores the potential roles of compassion satisfaction (CS) and resilience while considering demographic and school characteristics. Survey data from 529 participants inform the findings, which reveal positive correlations between STS and BO, and resilience and CS. Conversely, inverse correlations exist between CS and BO, resilience and BO, and CS and STS, suggesting CS and resilience can mitigate negative impacts of CF, STS, and BO. High BO and STS increase the likelihood of early career exit, emphasizing the need for teacher well-being interventions. Demographically, secondary teachers show higher resilience, male teachers exhibit greater resilience than females, and female teachers report higher STS and CS. School setting, age, and experience did not yield significant differences. Practical implications involve trauma-informed professional development and support for BO and STS reduction, and fostering CS through well-being assessments. Limitations include geographic focus, sample size, cross-sectional design, self-reported data, gender imbalance, and measurement tool choices. Future research encompassing diverse teacher populations, larger samples, longitudinal designs, and alternative measurement tools is warranted.