Stress versus eustress: Evaluating the effects of compassion fatigue and secondary traumatic stress on agricultural educator burnout

William Norris

doi:10.37433/aad.v6i2.595

Authors

William Norris New Mexico State University, USA https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0336-370X

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.37433/aad.v6i2.595

Keywords:

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), Childhood Trauma, Teacher-Student Relationships, SDG 3: Good Heath and Well-being

Abstract

Traumatic events occurring during childhood (0-17 Years), or Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), can have a negative influence on the life of the afflicted individual, including a substantially higher risk of addiction, poverty, cardiac issues, diabetes, and early death. These negative repercussions of ACEs can be mitigated through appropriate teacher-student relationships. Agricultural educators report supporting students with ACEs regularly, but are not confident in their abilities to emotionally support students in these unique situations. This ambiguity in the role of educators in supporting students with ACEs can cause compassion fatigue, secondary traumatic stress (STS), and, ultimately, burnout, which has proven to be one of the leading causes of agricultural educator attrition. This study sought to compare the effects of STS on the burnout of agricultural educators. The author utilized the Professional Quality of Life (ProQOL) survey to measure STS and burnout and gathered 59 usable responses. The author used linear regression to compare STS’s effect on agricultural educator burnout, resulting in a statistically significant interaction that suggests STS contributes to teacher burnout. The findings lead the author to recommend providing mental health services to educators experiencing STS and offering training on strategies to support students facing ACEs.

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