The Professional Quality of Life of North Carolina School-Based Agriculture Education Teachers
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| Title: | The Professional Quality of Life of North Carolina School-Based Agriculture Education Teachers |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Mary Kate Morgan Lanier (ORCID |
| Source: | Journal of Agricultural Education. 2026 67(1). |
| Availability: | American Association for Agricultural Education. P.O. Box 7607, Department of Agricultural and Extension Education, Raleigh, NC 27695. Web site: https://jae-online.org/index.php/jae/index |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 18 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Sponsoring Agency: | National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) (USDA) |
| Contract Number: | 7010638 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Secondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Agricultural Education, Agriculture Teachers, Secondary School Teachers, Teaching Conditions, Quality of Life, Stress Variables, Teacher Burnout, Altruism, Job Satisfaction, Trauma |
| Geographic Terms: | North Carolina |
| DOI: | 10.5032/jae.v67i1.3270 |
| ISSN: | 1042-0541 2162-5212 |
| Abstract: | School-Based Agriculture Education (SBAE) teachers are known to experience stress and burnout due to the expectations of their jobs. Framed by the constructs of secondary traumatic stress, burnout, and compassion satisfaction, this quantitative study sought to examine North Carolina SBAE teachers using the Professional Quality of Life (ProQOL) instrument. ProQOL focuses on the previous 30 days and identifies participants' positive feelings toward their profession, known as compassion satisfaction, and the negative feelings of secondary traumatic stress and burnout. Surveyed in February and March 2024, most participants indicated low to moderate levels of secondary traumatic stress, moderate to high levels of burnout, and moderate to high levels of compassion satisfaction. Even though these participants indicated they were experiencing burnout, they were satisfied with their jobs. It is recommended to decrease levels of burnout and secondary traumatic stress by supporting SBAE teachers in setting realistic expectations of the career with stakeholders and offering training dedicated to developing coping strategies for working in a caring field. Further research at the regional and/or national levels and among other educational disciplines is recommended. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1495336 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | School-Based Agriculture Education (SBAE) teachers are known to experience stress and burnout due to the expectations of their jobs. Framed by the constructs of secondary traumatic stress, burnout, and compassion satisfaction, this quantitative study sought to examine North Carolina SBAE teachers using the Professional Quality of Life (ProQOL) instrument. ProQOL focuses on the previous 30 days and identifies participants' positive feelings toward their profession, known as compassion satisfaction, and the negative feelings of secondary traumatic stress and burnout. Surveyed in February and March 2024, most participants indicated low to moderate levels of secondary traumatic stress, moderate to high levels of burnout, and moderate to high levels of compassion satisfaction. Even though these participants indicated they were experiencing burnout, they were satisfied with their jobs. It is recommended to decrease levels of burnout and secondary traumatic stress by supporting SBAE teachers in setting realistic expectations of the career with stakeholders and offering training dedicated to developing coping strategies for working in a caring field. Further research at the regional and/or national levels and among other educational disciplines is recommended. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 1042-0541 2162-5212 |
| DOI: | 10.5032/jae.v67i1.3270 |
