Coping or Surviving? Exploring the Work-Life Balance of Special Education Teachers

Lizet Zuñiga

doi:10.29333/ajqr/16247

Lizet Zuñiga ¹ ^*

More Detail

AM J QUALITATIVE RES, Volume 9, Issue 2, pp. 118-134

https://doi.org/10.29333/ajqr/16247

OPEN ACCESS 213 Views 133 Downloads

Download Full Text (PDF)

Abstract

Special education teachers face multiple professional career challenges, resulting in mental, physical, and emotional exhaustion. Although previous research has explored professional stressors and burnout for teachers, limited research has examined the interaction between professional and personal stressors and how teachers cope with these complex and compounding factors. This qualitative study explored special education teachers’ experiences working with students who faced emotional and behavioral difficulties and on work-life balance, and the strategies that these teachers employed to keep burnout at bay. The results reveal how stress associated with their jobs has impacted these teachers’ personal lives and their ability to cope with work-related burnout and prioritization of self-care. This study has strong implications for teachers and administrators and makes recommendations for both parties. These recommendations include establishing sustainable measures that can help alleviate teacher burnout, such as the implementation of mental health support and specialized training for staff and administrators to foster a supportive work environment.

Keywords: Burnout, work-life balance, self-care, coping, surviving, special education teacher

References

Agyapong, B., Burback, L., Agyapong, V. I., & Wei, Y. (2023). Interventions to reduce stress and burnout among teachers: A scoping review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(9), Article 5625. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20095625
Aloe, A. M., Amo, L. C., & Shanahan, M. E. (2014). Classroom management self-efficacy and burnout: A multivariate meta-analysis. Educational Psychology Review, 26(1), 101–126. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-013-9244-0
Bettini, E., Cumming, M. M., O’Brien, K. M., Brunsting, N. C., Ragunathan, M., Sutton, R., & Chopra, A. (2020). Predicting special educators’ intent to continue teaching students with emotional or behavioral disorders in self-contained settings. Exceptional Children, 86(2), 209–228. https://doi.org/10.1177/0014402919873556
Bettini, E., Wang, J., Cumming, M., Kimerling, J., & Schutz, S. (2019). Special educators’ experiences of roles and responsibilities in self-contained classes for students with emotional/behavioral disorders. Remedial and Special Education, 40(3), 177–191. https://doi.org/10.1177/0741932518762470
Billingsley, B., & Bettini, E. (2019). Special education teacher attrition and retention: A review of the literature. Review of Educational Research, 89(5), 697–744. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654319862495
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2022). Thematic analysis: A practical guide. SAGE Publications.
Bronfenbrenner, U. (1976). The experimental ecology of education. Educational Researcher, 5(9), 5–15. https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X005009005
Brunsting, N. C., Bettini, E., Rock, M., Common, E. A., Royer, D. J., Lane, K. L., Xie, F., Chen, A., & Zeng, F. (2022). Working conditions and burnout of special educators of students with EBD: Longitudinal outcomes. Teacher Education and Special Education, 46(1), 44–64. https://doi.org/10.1177/08884064221076159
Dos Santos, L. M. (2021). The relationship between workforce sustainability, stress, and career decision: A study of kindergarten teachers during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Sustainability (Basel, Switzerland), 13(20), Article 11521. https://doi.org/10.3390/su132011521
Galvan, J. L., & Galvan, M. C. (2017). Writing literature reviews: A guide for students of the social and behavioral sciences (7th ed.). Routledge.
Garwood, J. D. (2023). Special educator burnout and fidelity in implementing behavior support plans: A call to action. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 31(2), 84–96. https://doi.org/10.1177/10634266221099242
Gavish, B. (2017). Special education trainee teachers' perceptions of their professional world: Motives, roles, and expectations from teacher training. Teachers and Teaching, Theory and Practice, 23(2), 153–170. https://doi.org/10.1080/13540602.2016.1204285
Gilmour, A. F., Sandilos, L. E., Pilny, W. V., Schwartz, S., & Wehby, J. H. (2022). Teaching students with emotional/behavioral disorders: Teachers’ burnout profiles and classroom management. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 30(1), 16–28. https://doi.org/10.1177/10634266211020258
Hennink, M., & Kaiser, B. N. (2022). Sample sizes for saturation in qualitative research: A systematic review of empirical tests. Social Science & Medicine, 292, Article 114523. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.114523
Holzner, K. L., & Gaunt, L. (2023). Wellbeing promotion in Tasmanian schools: Have we forgotten support teachers? Australasian Journal of Special and Inclusive Education, 47(2), 96–109. https://doi.org/10.1017/jsi.2023.10
Klopfer, K. M., Scott, K., Jenkins, J., & Ducharme, J. (2019). Effect of preservice classroom management training on attitudes and skills for teaching children with emotional and behavioral problems: A randomized control trial. Teacher Education and Special Education, 42(1), 49–66. https://doi.org/10.1177/0888406417735877
Lavian, R. H. (2013). "You and I will change the world": Student teachers' motives for choosing special education. World Journal of Education, 3(4), 10–25. https://doi.org/10.5430/wje.v3n4p10
Lohman, A. E. (2011). Special education learning environments: Inclusion versus self-contained (Publication No. 2011.3450216) [Doctoral dissertation, Lindenwood University]. ProQuest LLC. https://www.proquest.com/docview/864544429?pq-origsite=primo
MacCormack, J. W. H., Sider, S., Maich, K., & Specht, J. A. (2021). Self-determination and inclusion: The role of Canadian principals in catalysing inclusive-positive practices. International Journal of Education Policy and Leadership, 17(2). https://doi.org/10.22230/ijepl.2021v17n2a969
Padgett, D. K. (2017). Qualitative methods in social work research (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications.
Pokhrel, S., & Chhetri, R. (2021). A literature review on impact of COVID-19 pandemic on teaching and learning. Higher Education for the Future, 8(1), 133–141. https://doi.org/10.1177/2347631120983481
Price, D., & McCallum, F. (2015). Ecological influences on teachers’ well-being and “fitness.” Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, 43(3), 195–209. https://doi.org/10.1080/1359866X.2014.932329
Robinson, L. E., Valido, A., Drescher, A., Woolweaver, A. B., Espelage, D. L., Murray, S., Long, A. C. J., Wright, A. A., & Dailey, M. M. (2023). Teachers, stress, and the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative analysis. School Mental Health, 15(1), 78–89. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12310-022-09533-2Smith, S. W., Poling, D. V., & Worth, M. R. (2018). Intensive intervention for students with emotional and behavioral disorders: Intensive intervention for students. Learning Disabilities Research and Practice, 33(3), 168–175. https://doi.org/10.1111/ldrp.12174
Song, Y., Zhao, W., Wang, X., & Li, J. (2024). The impact of job stress on burnout in Chinese teachers: The mediating roles of social support and psychological empowerment. Psychology in the Schools, 61(1), 253–271. https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.23052Taie, S., & Lewis, L. (2022). Characteristics of 2020-21 public and private K-12 school teachers in the United States: Results from the National Teacher and Principal Survey. First Look. NCES 2022-113. National Center for Education Statistics. https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2022/2022113.pdf
Tsouloupas, C. N., Carson, R. L., Matthews, R., Grawitch, M. J., & Barber, L. K. (2010). Exploring the association between teachers’ perceived student misbehaviour and emotional exhaustion: The importance of teacher efficacy beliefs and emotion regulation. Educational Psychology, 30(2), 173–189. https://doi.org/10.1080/01443410903494460
U.S. Department of Education. (2004). Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). https://sites.ed.gov/idea/
Zuñiga, L. (2024). Positive interventions in practice: Working with students with emotional and behavioral difficulties. School Social Work Journal, 48(2), 38–55.

Citation

Zuñiga, L. (2025). Coping or Surviving? Exploring the Work-Life Balance of Special Education Teachers. American Journal of Qualitative Research, 9(2), 118-134. https://doi.org/10.29333/ajqr/16247

Zuñiga, L. (2025). Coping or Surviving? Exploring the Work-Life Balance of Special Education Teachers. American Journal of Qualitative Research, 9(2), pp. 118-134. https://doi.org/10.29333/ajqr/16247

Zuñiga L. Coping or Surviving? Exploring the Work-Life Balance of Special Education Teachers. AM J QUALITATIVE RES. 2025;9(2), 118-134. https://doi.org/10.29333/ajqr/16247

Zuñiga, Lizet. "Coping or Surviving? Exploring the Work-Life Balance of Special Education Teachers". American Journal of Qualitative Research 2025 9 no. 2 (2025): 118-134. https://doi.org/10.29333/ajqr/16247

Zuñiga, Lizet "Coping or Surviving? Exploring the Work-Life Balance of Special Education Teachers". American Journal of Qualitative Research, vol. 9, no. 2, 2025, pp. 118-134. https://doi.org/10.29333/ajqr/16247

Zuñiga L. Coping or Surviving? Exploring the Work-Life Balance of Special Education Teachers. AM J QUALITATIVE RES. 2025;9(2):118-34. https://doi.org/10.29333/ajqr/16247