Bova, Robin Ries (2022-06). The Relationship Between Professional Development in Social-Emotional Learning and Symptoms of Compassion Fatigue in Middle School Educators. Doctoral Dissertation.
Thesis
This study aimed to explore the influence of professional development (PD) in social-emotional learning (SEL) on symptoms of compassion fatigue (CF) in middle school educators. A mixed methods approach was utilized in this study. Quantitative data were collected using a study-specific measure via a Google form. The measure consisted of three related to self-efficacy and eleven items related to compassion fatigue. Qualitative data were collected through open-ended questions included with the quantitative measure. Three focal participants were chosen from the twenty-four Pre-PD respondents for interviews at three- and seven-weeks post-PD. Focal participants represented three levels of CF - low, middle, and high - and were chosen based on Pre-PD survey quantitative responses. A fourth and final data collection took place eight weeks after the full-day in-service. This collection consisted of a repeat of the Pre-PD survey. At this time, eighteen of the original participants completed the form. Using SPSS for Statistics, a paired samples t-test was run to determine the effect of the PD on self-efficacy and compassion fatigue. Qualitative data were first analyzed using a Start List Method in which the codes reflected known symptoms of compassion fatigue. The second iteration of qualitative analysis employed emergent coding. This final iteration used axial coding. While results of the quantitative analysis were not found to be statistically significant, likely due to being underpowered to detect anything except very large effects, they do hint at a relationship between the PD and both self-efficacy and CF. Scale means for both items moved in the expected direction: self-efficacy rose while CF declined. Only one area showed an unexpected result. The scale mean for negative emotional symptoms increased. Analysis of the qualitative data provided a more nuanced understanding of the influence of the PD on CF. While some participants, both in the survey and interviews, expressed increased self-efficacy and improved well-being, these results were not universal. Taken together, analysis of the qualitative and quantitative data suggests while the PD did have a positive influence on self-efficacy and CF was reduced, the findings of this study are not definitive, and more study is needed to understand the phenomenon fully.
