Date of Award

2026-05-01

Degree Name

Doctor of Education

Department

Education

Advisor(s)

Isela J. Peña

Abstract

Teacher burnout continues to be a significant concern in K-12 education, contributing to emotional exhaustion, decreased job satisfaction, teacher attrition, and negative impacts on student learning. While previous research has examined the causes and symptoms of burnout, less attention has been given to how teachers perceive the role of campus leadership in either mitigating or contributing to burnout experiences. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore how teachers who have experienced burnout perceive the role of campus administrators within that process. The study was guided by three research questions focused on teachers' experiences with burnout, perceptions of administrator influence, and leadership behaviors identified as helpful in alleviating burnout. This study was grounded in the Job Demands-Resources Model, Self-Determination Theory, and Relational Trust Theory. Five K-12 teachers who self-identified as having experienced burnout participated in semi-structured interviews conducted through Zoom. Participants were recruited using convenience and snowball sampling. Data were analyzed using a two-cycle coding process that included in vivo coding and pattern coding to identify recurring themes. Four major themes emerged from the findings: increasing demands, burnout coping strategies, administrative behavior, and relational trust. Participants described burnout as an accumulation of accountability pressures, emotional strain, and additional responsibilities that gradually led to exhaustion and disengagement. Teachers reported coping through mobility, including changing campuses, changing teaching roles, or leaving the profession altogether. Findings also revealed that administrator behaviors significantly shaped teacher experiences. Supportive leadership behaviors such as recognition, responsiveness, authentic listening, and emotional support contributed to motivation and well-being, while negative behaviors such as excessive monitoring, lack of follow-through, and feelings of targeting intensified burnout. Relational trust emerged as the most significant factor in alleviating burnout, particularly when teachers experienced emotional safety, autonomy, open communication, and consistent support from their campus leaders. The findings suggest that leadership behaviors play a central role in shaping teacher burnout experiences and that relational trust may serve as a protective factor against burnout. Implications for educational leadership include the need for intentional relationship-building practices, improved principal preparation related to communication and emotional support, and systems that promote teacher voice and well-being.

Language

en

Provenance

Received from ProQuest

File Size

137 p.

File Format

application/pdf

Rights Holder

Carmen Imai

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