Date of Award

Spring 2024

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Committee Chair

Shelley West

Abstract

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to examine the impact of administrative support on staff mental health. Research questions were created for this research study and were investigated throughout its design and implementation. This research study involved participation from three district-approved schools: one elementary, one middle, and one high school in eastern North Carolina. Two surveys were designed, one for educators and one for administrators. Once the research was completed, the data were analyzed for key themes regarding how mental health affects educators in the classroom. Themes were identified to determine the impact of administrative support on staff mental health and to answer the three research questions. The study concluded that there was a positive impact of administrative support on staff mental health. The participants provided certain qualities that were indicative of an administrator who was supportive of a staff member’s mental health. Descriptions of prevailing themes included 1. Supportive, 2. Understanding, 3. Conducting check-ins with staff (on a personal level), 4. Being empathetic, and 5. Being an administrator who listens. This study also concluded that the mental health of an educator had an impact on their work both physically and mentally. Recommendations from the study were that the results be utilized by school districts or universities in an administrator preparation program.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License

Download

Share

COinS