ORCID Identifier(s)

0000-0001-5445-396X

Graduation Semester and Year

2020

Language

English

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies

Department

Educational Leadership and Policy Studies

First Advisor

Barbara Tobolowsky

Abstract

This qualitative study explored the experiences of new student affairs professionals handling mental health issues among college students and how it may influence their job satisfaction. Kucirka’s (2017) model of navigating the faculty–student relationship in the context of student mental health issues provided the framework for this study. There were 15 diverse participants from Wellness University, a large public research institution in the southwest region of the United States, who engaged in semi-structured interviews to share their experience about working with distressed students and how it has impacted their job satisfaction. Findings from this study revealed that new student affairs professionals do play a vital role in identifying and responding to mental health problems among college students; at the same time, many of them are emotionally, physically, and mentally impacted by helping distressed students causing some to consider leaving the student affairs profession. Nevertheless, most of the participants remained satisfied and fulfilled in their position. This study contributes to the limited research regarding the experiences of new student affairs professionals and their job satisfaction.

Keywords

Student affairs, Student affairs professionals, Job satisfaction, Mental health issues, College students, Academic advising

Disciplines

Education | Educational Leadership

Comments

Degree granted by The University of Texas at Arlington

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