The impact of adaptive leadership on burnout in special education during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Date

2021-12

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Abstract

Occupational burnout among special education teachers results in increased attrition, and lower student and teacher outcomes. While there are many factors that influence burnout, leadership style has not previously been explored. Organizational leadership in education is typically hierarchical, whereas adaptive leadership is a shared leadership model that engages stakeholders to address complex problems. Convenience and snowball sampling were used to survey special education K-12 teachers in Texas public and charter schools who taught during the COVID-19 pandemic (AY19-20 and AY20-21). The survey was administered online and included demographics, the Maslach Burnout Inventory Educators Survey (MBI-ES), the Adaptive Leadership with Authority Scale (ALAS), and relevant components of the Pandemic Experiences and Perceptions Survey (PEPS). Sixty-seven respondents met eligibility criteria and completed the two surveys related to the primary research question. There was a statistically significant correlation between occupational burnout (as measured by EE) and adaptive leadership in one’s supervisor (as measured by ALAS), p=0.001. There was no difference in the level of EE in the sample population based on the primary teaching modality (virtual vs. in-person), but supervisors that had more perceived adaptive leadership (higher ALAS) had less attrition (p=0.034). With the exception of risk perception, there was a statistically significant correlation between ALAS and each subsection of the PEPS (p<0.05). In this sample of special education teachers in Texas, adaptive leadership in their direct supervisors was associated with less emotional exhaustion (occupational burnout), reduced attrition, and lower levels scored in most aspects of the PEPS. This has implications for leadership training among school administrators, especially during periods of uncertainty and high stress, which may lead to improved teacher and student outcomes.


Embargo status: Restricted until 01/2027. To request the author grant access, click on the PDF link to the left.

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Keywords

Special Education, Education, Occupational Burnout, Adaptive Leadership, Leadership, COVID-19 Pandemic, Attrition, MBI-ES, ALAS, PEPS

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