Date of Award
Fall 11-22-2024
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Organizational Unit
Morgridge College of Education, Research Methods and Information Science, Research Methods and Statistics
First Advisor
Robyn Thomas Pitts
Second Advisor
Duan Zhang
Third Advisor
Charlotte Farewell
Fourth Advisor
Julia Roncoroni
Copyright Statement / License for Reuse
All Rights Reserved.
Keywords
Burnout, Causation coding, Early childhood, Realist inquiry, Structural equation modeling (SEM)
Abstract
Early childhood education (ECE) professionals are a critical workforce entrusted with the education and development of young children. Alarming rates of burnout within this profession substantially impact the academic and social development of children under their care. To enhance occupational well-being, it is imperative to understand the job demands experienced by this workforce, the resources at their disposal, and how these factors contribute to burnout. Realist inquiry, a methodological approach that applies context-mechanism-outcome (CMO) configurations, offers a valuable framework for conducting an in-depth examination of this issue. This study examines job demands and resources that lead to emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment among the ECE workforce through an explanatory sequential mixed methods design. In my quantitative study, I leveraged secondary survey data from the WELL study to construct a structural equation model that distinguishes job demands, multi-level resources, and Head Start staff burnout experiences (n=359). Quantitative data found that job demands increase emotional exhaustion and depersonalization but do not affect personal accomplishment, while multi-level resources increase personal accomplishment. In my qualitative study, I conducted two semi-structured realist interviews with seven participants exhibiting high and low burnout to explore these constructs more thoroughly. Qualitative data were analyzed via thematic analysis and causation coding to develop CMO configurations. Qualitative findings highlight the complex nature of burnout, with ECE and organizational context shaping burnout mechanisms. In the final stage, data was integrated and then re-analyzed to describe the methodological procedures employed when combining SEM and causation coding to benefit future mixed methods studies. Findings provide ECE researchers and stakeholders with recommended strategies to reduce job demands and strengthen organizational, interpersonal, and personal resources to reduce burnout in this crucial workforce.
Copyright Date
11-2024
Publication Statement
Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.
Rights Holder
Jamie Powers
Provenance
Received from author
File Format
application/pdf
Language
English (eng)
Extent
157 pgs
File Size
2.5 MB
Recommended Citation
Powers, Jamie, "A Realist Explanatory Sequential Mixed Method Study: Investigating Occupational Well-Being in Early Childhood Education Settings Using Structural Equation Modeling and Causation Coding" (2024). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 2498.
https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd/2498