Date of Award
1-23-2026
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Educational Leadership, Ed.D.
First Advisor
Dr. Randy Caffey
Second Advisor
Dr. Bronwyn MacFarlane
Committee Members
Dr. Cathy Meredith
Abstract
This qualitative, narrative research study explored the experiences lived by black female educators with chronic health conditions during and after the Covid-19 pandemic in the Southeastern region of the United States. These educators provided continued instruction in a central Jackson, Mississippi school district and a Georgia school district in the central Atlanta metropolitan area. The investigation during this body of work focused on how black female educators with chronic health conditions were impacted both personally and professionally. The research also centered on how these educators employed coping strategies. Candidates endured fear, stress and continued impact on their health. To subject positive outcomes with their mental health and wellbeing, candidates depended on support from family and colleagues, coping strategies and work arrangements within their respective organizations. Ample findings of the study aligned with its conceptual framework; yet, limitations were also noted via participant responses, specifically pertaining to the limited support within organizations for mental health and wellbeing of black females, further attentive research and revision of the guided interview protocol. The results highlighted the need for increased policy and practices of organizations to structure suitable frameworks of support for the mental health and wellbeing of black female educators. The limited or lack of institutional policies and practices were evident based on the research conducted within this study, divulging rifts within the organizational environment that must be addressed to meet the needs of all educators. Strategic measures must be implemented to assist black female educators in the event of future calamities. keywords: Black Female Educators, Covid-19 Pandemic, Chronic Health Conditions, Mental Health, Wellbeing
Rights Management
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Blake, Shawnee Stanfield, "Educating With Chronic Health Conditions During and After a Pandemic: A Narrative Study of Experiences, Job-Related Stressors, Mental Health, Wellbeing and Coping Strategies Among Black Female Educators" (2026). Student Theses and Dissertations. 1145.
https://arch.astate.edu/all-etd/1145
