Stress and Coping Strategies among Arizona School-Based Therapists Impacted by COVID-19

Abstract

ABSTRACT The COVID 19 pandemic created unprecedented challenges for health professionals, including therapists working in school settings who experienced increased stressors and decreased support. The goal of this study is to analyze the impact of COVID 19 on the stress levels of school-based therapists (SBTs), determine the methods they used to effectively deal with this stress, and review retrospections on how they could have been better supported. An investigator-created survey was emailed to SBTs through convenience and snowball sampling from February 2021 to March 2021. A total of 144 SBTs provided usable responses. Results were then analyzed by the study personnel. Stress increased by an average of 26% among SBTs during the pandemic. The most common stressors were scheduling problems, the need to learn new technology, and concern for students’ well-being. Exercise, time management, and social support were the most successfully employed techniques to manage this stress. The increased stressors affecting SBTs due to COVID 19 diminishes SBTs’ perception of their quality of work and requires collaboration between employers and employees to resolve. Lessons learned provides insights for improved supports in the future.