Application of a Model of Workforce Resilience to the Education Workforce: Expanding Opportunities for Support

Abstract

The current study analyzed 502 responses from members of the education workforce on the Resilience at Work (RAW) scale and other measures of health and job satisfaction as part of an initiative offering training and technical assistance to support student and staff well-being. A latent profile analysis using scores on components of the RAW identified three resilience profiles: lower, moderate, and higher capacities for resilience. Profiles were differentiated across components related to resilience capacity including alignment of work and personal values, level of social support, and ability to manage stress. Differences between profiles were observed across days of poor physical health, days of poor mental health, days of activity restriction, general health rating, and domains of burnout, compassion satisfaction, and secondary traumatic stress. These findings reinforce calls to support the education workforce through changes that allow access to meaningful work, an evaluation of demands including workload, relevant training on emotional wellness, positive experiences, connections with others, and stress management.

Psychometric Properties of the SV-RES60 Resilience Scale in a Sample of Chilean Elementary School Teachers

“…Therefore, this study contributes to decision making in schools, benefiting not only teachers, but the entire educational community systemically [ 38 ]. This becomes relevant if it is considered that resilience is related to teachers’ self-efficacy [ 27 ], job commitment, perception of well-being, and health [ 26 , 29 , 30 ], and that a lack of resilience is associated with stress and burnout [ 8 , 32 , 33 ]. Therefore, the scale’s straightforward approach will have favorable effects on teachers and their environments.…”

“…This instrument will contribute to the assessment of resilience in elementary school teachers, supporting decision making in schools, and this will not only benefit teachers, as it is through teachers that entire school communities are systemically affected [ 38 ]. It must be noted that resilience is related to teacher self-efficacy [ 27 ], job commitment, and the perception of well-being and health [ 26 , 29 , 30 ], and a lack of resilience is associated with stress and burnout [ 8 , 32 , 33 ]. Consequently, the actions taken to support teachers by increasing their resilience would also enhance the quality of teaching and the empowerment of teachers in the challenging situations they face with their students, classes, and schools [ 62 ].…”

“…In addition, resilience is positively related to teacher self-efficacy [ 27 ], job commitment, and meaningful work [ 2 , 28 ], the perception of well-being [ 26 , 29 ], and the subjective perception of health [ 30 ]. A lack of resilience is negatively associated with stress, exhaustion, and difficulties maintaining discipline in the classroom [ 8 , 31 , 32 , 33 ]. In addition, there is evidence of a mediating role between abuse (physical and emotional) in childhood and satisfaction with life in teachers [ 34 ].…”

Correlates of adverse childhood experiences and secondary traumatic stress in school personnel.

“…This theory informs and guides the aims of this work to ensure attention to both risk and resilience factors of STS in teachers and SMH professionals. Although relatively new, prior work has applied this framework within school contexts to examine factors related to burnout, trauma, and resilience (S. P. Brown & Biddle, 2023;Prout et al, 2023), and the present article will provide further evidence for its use with school personnel.…”

“…Although relatively new, prior work has applied this framework within school contexts to examine factors related to burnout, trauma, and resilience (S. P. Brown & Biddle, 2023; Prout et al, 2023), and the present article will provide further evidence for its use with school personnel.…”