Educating during the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Educator Perspective on Mental Health

Alyssa Schneider Carlson; Zoe Sirotiak; Stephanie Orellana; Emily B K Thomas

doi:10.1017/dmp.2026.10334

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Educating during the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Educator Perspective on Mental Health

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Educating during the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Educator Perspective on Mental Health

Alyssa Schneider Carlson, Zoe Sirotiak, Stephanie Orellana and Emily B K Thomas

Disaster medicine and public health preparedness, Vol.20, e55

03/24/2026

DOI: 10.1017/dmp.2026.10334

PMID: 41872715

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Abstract

Objective During the COVID-19 pandemic, educators were impacted across domains of psychological, physical, social, and occupational health. Occupational environments, including classrooms, changed significantly due to COVID-19. This study aimed to characterize the nuanced experience of educators during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods Participants included 918 United States educators (e.g., teachers, paraeducators, support professionals, and administrators). Educators completed the survey via Qualtrics during November and December of 2020. The survey included eight qualitative questions, and responses were randomized to inductive or deductive datasets for analyses. Results Our deductive results showed that individuals reported changes in several facets of health, with educators reporting increases in stress (38.0%) and feelings of isolation (45.9%). Our results also showed impacted occupational health, citing increased responsibility at work (34.0%) and feeling as though their voice was not heard after voicing concerns to either building- or district-level administration (28.2%). Conclusions One of the key findings that emerged at the systemic level was educators reporting a lack of decision-making agency within the workplace. Through including educators in the conversations regarding decisions at all levels, agency may be increased. Educators not only shape the students they teach, but the communities within which they work, making a focus on their health paramount.

Mental Health

Adult

COVID-19 - epidemiology

COVID-19 - psychology

Educational Personnel - psychology

Educational Personnel - statistics & numerical data

Female

Humans

Male

Middle Aged

Pandemics

Qualitative Research

Surveys and Questionnaires

United States - epidemiology

Workplace - psychology

Workplace - standards

Details

Title: Subtitle: Educating during the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Educator Perspective on Mental Health
Creators: Alyssa Schneider Carlson - Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, https://ror.org/036jqmy94The University of Iowa, United States
Zoe Sirotiak - University of Iowa
Stephanie Orellana - Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, https://ror.org/036jqmy94The University of Iowa, United States
Emily B K Thomas - University of Iowa
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Disaster medicine and public health preparedness, Vol.20, e55
DOI: 10.1017/dmp.2026.10334
PMID: 41872715
NLM abbreviation: Disaster Med Public Health Prep
ISSN: 1935-7893
eISSN: 1938-744X
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Grant note: T32GM149386 / NIGMS NIH HHS
Language: English
Date published: 03/24/2026
Academic Unit: Psychological and Brain Sciences; Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science
Record Identifier: 9985147181702771

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