Understanding Teacher Role Stress: An Exploratory Analysis of Career-Stage Perspectives in Education

Date of Award

Spring 2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education in Organizational Leadership (EdD)

Committee Chair

Valerie Storey

Committee Member

Tracy Greene

Committee Member

Bora Pajo

Abstract

Given the current PK-12 educational landscape, schoolteachers are feeling the effects of job demands and experiencing elevated stress, often leading to exhaustion and high attrition rates. Yet, research has rarely compared stress across career stages and school contexts, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic. In response to these conditions, this study used a qualitative approach, surveying teachers at various experience levels about their job-related stress and work motivation using Likert scale and open-ended questions. During analysis, the Likert responses were examined descriptively, and the open-ended responses were analyzed through thematic coding. In this study, 99 teachers participated, representing various grade bands and school types. With 65% of respondents being experienced teachers, the results indicated stress levels varied across career stages. Early-career educators reported the highest frequency of stress causes such as workload, student behavior, and insufficient support. Across all groups, teachers consistently attributed increased stress to the lingering academic, behavioral, and organizational disruptions associated with COVID-19. Respondents described the pandemic’s impact as more persistent and severe among educators in lower grade bands. These patterns point to a critical role for organizational leadership in designing structures, resources, and professional supports that mitigate stress and enhance teachers’ capacity to remain engaged and motivated in their work.

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