Unpacking the social-emotional health of education support professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic
Date
2022-12-09
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Psychology in the Schools
Abstract
This study sought to understand education support professionals' (ESPs) experiences early in the COVID-19 pandemic, including how they were feeling about their roles in education, strategies they were using to cope with unprecedented times, barriers they encountered toward maintaining SE health at work, and opportunities they identified as critical for creating safe and supportive school environments. This study employed a convergent parallel (QUAN + QUAL) mixed methods research design to capture ESPs' affective experiences and use of social and emotional learning (SEL). Data were collected in partnership with the National Education Association across 4 weeks through a survey including open and closed-ended questions. A total of 175 participants responded to the quantitative portion of the survey and at least one qualitative survey question. Findings suggest ESPs were feeling frustrated and experiencing very little SEL support in their daily work. ESPs would benefit from increased communication, inclusion, recognition, and well-being promotion in their schools. This study offers new insight into how schools and districts can provide better SEL support to ESPs.
Practitioner points:
- Education support professionals were feeling frustrated and experiencing very little social and emotional support in their daily work early in the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Education support professionals would benefit from increased communication, inclusion, and recognition in their schools.
- Schools must do better to promote the professional and personal well-being of education support professionals.
Description
This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Naples, L. H., Cipriano, C., Eveleigh, A., Stoffers, M., & Barnes, T. N. (2022). Unpacking the social-emotional health of education support professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic. Psychology in the Schools, 1– 27. https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.22842, which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.22842. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived Versions. This article may not be enhanced, enriched or otherwise transformed into a derivative work, without express permission from Wiley or by statutory rights under applicable legislation. Copyright notices must not be removed, obscured or modified. The article must be linked to Wiley’s version of record on Wiley Online Library and any embedding, framing or otherwise making available the article or pages thereof by third parties from platforms, services and websites other than Wiley Online Library must be prohibited. This article will be embargoed until 12/13/2023.
Keywords
COVID-19 pandemic, education support professional, well-being, quality education
Citation
Naples, L. H., Cipriano, C., Eveleigh, A., Stoffers, M., & Barnes, T. N. (2022). Unpacking the social-emotional health of education support professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic. Psychology in the Schools, 1– 27. https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.22842