Student Misbehavior Influencing the Stress and Burnout Levels of Elementary Teachers Within a Suburban Public School District: A Qualitative Case Study

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to discover how managing student misbehavior influences the stress and burnout levels among elementary teachers within a suburban public school district located in Northern Virginia. The theory guiding this study was the job demands -resources theory. Every job includes demands and resources, but for teachers the job demand of managing student misbehavior may lead to negative outcomes including stress, emotional exhaustion, and reduced personal accomplishment, leading to burnout. The central research question guiding this study was: How does managing student misbehavior influence the stress and burnout levels of elementary teachers in suburban public schools? A qualitative methodology with a holistic single-case study design was used to gather in-depth information through interviews, a focus group, and a written journal prompt. This study included 10 general education elementary teachers from a suburban public school district in Northern Virginia. Data analysis followed Saldana’s Level 1 and Level 2 thematic approach, revealing three themes: emotional and physical strain, challenges within the general education environment, and supportive school community. The findings indicated that student misbehavior influenced the stress and burnout levels of general education elementary teachers in this study. Participants experienced emotional and physical strain and challenges within the general education classroom, highlighting the need for increased mitigation strategies to reduce stress and burnout and improve teacher well-being.