Candidate Name: Sydney Gabrielle Carroll
Program: Curriculum Design & Instruction
Committee Chairs: Dr. Brittany Anderson & Dr. Clare Merlin-Knoblich
Committee Members: Drs. Daniel Alston, Rich Lambert, and Tehia Starker-Glass
Abstract:

This study examines burnout among Black women educators (BWEs) in urban K-12 schools to identify factors that contribute to emotional exhaustion. The research draws on Burnout Theory (Maslach & Jackson, 1981; Maslach et al.,2001) and Intersectionality Theory (Crenshaw, 1991) to explore how race, gender, workplace conditions, and demographic variables intersect and shape BWEs’ experiences of burnout. The research uses a quantitative, predictive, correlational design, utilizing a convenience sample of 154 BWEs from urban public schools in the U.S. who completed the Maslach Burnout Inventory and Areas of Worklife Survey. The analysis includes descriptive statistics, inferential statistics, multiple linear regression, and Pearson’s correlations. Results show that BWEs in this sample experience higher emotional exhaustion and personal accomplishment scores in comparison to national norms, but lower depersonalization scores. Workload and fairness emerge as significant predictors of burnout among participants. Within the demographic variables, ethnicity, subject taught, and region emerge as significant predictors of burnout among participants. Overall, results indicate the need for workplace intervention to address equity, workload, and systemic support for BWEs in urban schools. Results also contribute to ongoing conversations on retention and wellness among educators of color.