Degree
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Psychology
Document Type
Dissertation
Abstract
Effective teachers are the drivers of student success and are critical to improving student outcomes. Despite this, one of the biggest challenges the education system currently faces is maintaining effective teachers. Teacher effectiveness is directly tied to their wellbeing; hence, prioritizing teacher wellbeing is essential to ensure positive outcomes for both teachers and students. It is therefore imperative that we understand how teaching demands and resources interact to influence teacher wellbeing and effectiveness. Additionally, research and policies have recognized the issue of student trauma and its impact on learning and behavior. Furthermore, it is evident that many students bring traumatic experiences to school. Yet, little attention has been given to how teachers’ exposure to student trauma (i.e., teacher secondary trauma) affects their functioning and job attrition rates. Using the Job Demands-Resources model (JDR model), this study aimed to identify how different teacher demands and resources, including secondary trauma, contribute to teacher strain and attrition. By applying both quantitative and qualitative methods via an explanatory sequential design, this study addressed gaps in the present literature on teacher stress by 1) integrating an important unique stressor, secondary traumatic stress, into our understanding of factors affecting teacher wellbeing and attrition rates, and 2) deepening our knowledge of teachers’ experiences with identified demands and resources. Results provide commonly endorsed teaching demands and resources. Additionally, results show that trauma appraisal significantly predicts teacher strain, beyond known factors; however, this finding did not hold for teacher intent to leave the field. While strain explained the effect of teaching demands on intent to leave the field, resources did not buffer the relationship between demands and strain. Finally, focus group interviews provided in-depth insight into these quantitative findings. Implications and future directions are discussed.
Date
6-7-2026
Recommended Citation
Inabnett, Mary Snellings W., "Boosting Teacher Resilience: Unlocking the Impact of Secondary Trauma through the Lens of the Job Demands-Resources Model" (2026). LSU Doctoral Dissertations. 7105.
https://repository.lsu.edu/gradschool_dissertations/7105
Committee Chair
Long, Anna
LSU Acknowledgement
1
LSU Accessibility Acknowledgment
1