Date
8-6-2025
Department
School of Education
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD)
Chair
Shanna Nicole Baker
Keywords
Burnout, self-contained, special education, disabilities, teacher well-being, self-contained teachers, students with disabilities, self-efficacy, teacher attrition
Disciplines
Special Education and Teaching
Recommended Citation
West-James, Nyausha, "Burned: A Phenomenological Study on Educator Burnout within Self-Contained Classrooms" (2025). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 7268.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/7268
Abstract
The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of self-contained special education educators who have experienced burnout in Ozark County in Georgia. The social cognitive theory guided this research. The social cognitive theory can be supported by teaching new behaviors and encouraging educators to participate in behaviors that support self-efficacy. Self-efficacy can support teachers in managing their emotions and reducing educator burnout. The central research question was what are the lived experiences of self-contained special education educators who have experienced burnout? Although there was data that provided evidence on burnout, there was a lack of information about the challenges faced by self-contained special education teachers. Purposeful sampling was used to recruit 11 self-contained educators who could provide insight into their lived experience with burnout. The data collection methods consisted of semi-structured interviews, reflective journaling, and focus groups. Through the triangulation process, details of the essence of self-contained educators' lived experience with burnout was depicted. There was an identification of themes that were associated with the data collected. The themes identified were lack of support, job demands, and adverse effects on personal well-being. The findings from the study revealed that educator burnout within self-contained special education teachers depicted a significant concern for future educators in the field of special education. This transcendental phenomenological study permitted the researcher to present participants’ lived experiences with burnout, which gave verbal expression to their viewpoint, while raising consciousness of the realities within the self-contained classroom.
