Publication Date
2025
Document Type
Dissertation/Thesis
First Advisor
Dugas, Daryl
Degree Name
Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy)
Legacy Department
Department of Leadership, Educational Psychology and Foundations (LEPF)
Abstract
Secondary traumatic stress (STS) has been extensively documented in helping professions such as healthcare and social work, but its impact on teachers, particularly middle school educators in high-need, low-income districts, remains underexplored. This three-manuscript dissertation examines the prevalence, predictors, and support of STS in this population.
The first study uses a quantitative survey to measure STS severity among 6th–8th grade teachers to assess how it relates to demographic characteristics, including age, gender, race/ethnicity, and teaching experience. Results indicate that a substantial proportion of teachers experience moderate to severe STS, with race emerging as a significant predictor. The second study analyzes open-ended responses, highlighting teachers’ emotional reactions to student trauma, the coping strategies they employ, and their perceptions of available support. Findings reveal reliance on informal strategies and a clear need for structured, trauma-informed professional development. The final manuscript integrates these insights to propose a scalable intervention, a trauma-informed webinar series, designed to build teacher capacity for recognizing and managing STS while supporting trauma-affected students.
Together, these manuscripts extend the limited research on teacher STS by identifying its prevalence, examining lived experiences, and offering practical solutions for professional development and systemic support. Findings underscore the importance of prioritizing educator well-being within trauma-informed educational practice, with implications for policy, leadership, and teacher training.
Recommended Citation
Lazansky-Roach, Lisa Marie, "The Emotional Burden of Teaching: Understanding and Addressing Secondary Traumatic Stress in Middle School Teachers" (2025). Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations. 8164.
https://huskiecommons.lib.niu.edu/allgraduate-thesesdissertations/8164
Extent
138 pages
Language
en
Publisher
Northern Illinois University
Rights Statement
In Copyright
Rights Statement 2
NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.
Media Type
Text
