The well-being of head start teachers: a scoping literature review

Abstract

Attention to students' socio-emotional, behavioral, and academic outcomes raises important considerations for the psychological wellbeing of teachers, especially Head Start teachers who often work with underserved families. This scoping review summarizes current literature on Head Start teacher psychological well-being and identifies 1. how teacher well-being is conceptualized and measured, 2. Which interventions exist to promote Head Start teacher psychological well-being or help them manage stress and 3. directions for future research. The review resulted in 32 articles (29 peer-reviewed and three gray literature). Findings highlight that research is primarily descriptive using cross-sectional surveys and secondary data. Evidence suggests that although resilient and committed as educators, Head Start teachers struggle to cope with the stressors involved in supporting early childhood education. Interventions to decrease stress and promote the psychological well-being are few but teachers indicate interest in such interventions. Autonomy, feeling valued for their work, collegiality between staff, and a supportive supervisor help improve job satisfaction, retention, and psychological well-being. Future research should be guided by conceptual models that prioritize Head Start teachers' input, use of validated measures of psychological well-being with consideration of cultural and structural factors that influence well-being.