Date
4-7-2026
Department
School of Education
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD)
Chair
Treg Hopkins
Keywords
Burnout, Special Education, Causal-Comparative, Emotional Exhaustion, Quantitative
Disciplines
Education | Special Education and Teaching
Recommended Citation
Earp, Stacey Spruill, "A Causal-Comparative Study on the Difference Between Elementary, Middle, and High School Special Education Teachers’ Emotional Exhaustion Based on Years of Experience" (2026). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 8079.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/8079
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine whether emotional exhaustion differed among special education teachers at the elementary, middle, and high school levels in the southern United States while controlling for years of teaching experience. This study is significant because emotional exhaustion is a central component of burnout and has implications for teacher well-being, retention, and the quality of services provided to students with disabilities. A quantitative, non-experimental comparative design was employed. Data was collected from a sample of 158 special education teachers working in public schools in the southern region. Participants completed the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Educators Survey through an anonymous online survey. Data collection procedures included informed consent and voluntary participation. An analysis of covariance indicated no statistically significant differences in emotional exhaustion among teachers across school levels after controlling for years of teaching experience. These findings suggest that emotional exhaustion is influenced by other factors, such as shared role-related and systemic demands. Further research should investigate additional predictors and employ longitudinal designs to further examine burnout development.
