Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Stressors Of Special Education Teachers Working With Autistic Students With Behavioral Challenges, Malisa Anderson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In special education there are disabilities and health concerns teachers have to keep at the forefront when working with autistic students. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to gain knowledge and understanding regarding special education teachers’ perceptions of the stressors they experience when interacting with students diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and who also have behavioral challenges. This study was grounded in transactional theory. Six participants were included, and semi-structured interviews were conducted via social media calls and phone calls. The following themes emerged: Participants believed that autistic students, while having behavior challenges, were capable of calming …