Date of Award

Fall 12-1-2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Educational Leadership

First Advisor

Ryan Donlan

Second Advisor

Steve Gruenert

Third Advisor

Christy Coleman-Brown

Abstract

This quantitative study examined the prevalence of initiative fatigue in K–12 education and its relationship to emotional, mental, and physical work fatigue. The sample included 169 participants who identified as public school educators, school-based leaders, or district office staff. Participants completed the Three-Dimensional Work Fatigue Inventory (Frone & Tidwell, 2015) and the School-Wide Initiative Inventory (O’Quinn, 2018). Findings showed that initiative fatigue is most strongly rooted in concerns about the implementation process rather than the initiatives themselves. The “how” of implementation emerged as a significantly greater challenge than the “what,” functioning as a job demand that depletes emotional, mental, and physical energetic resources. Teachers directly responsible for implementing initiatives reported statistically significantly higher levels of initiative fatigue than school-based leaders, indicating a disproportionate burden on those closest to classroom practice. Initiative fatigue is defined as the reduced capacity experienced when implementation demands outpace or exceed the emotional, mental, or physical energetic resources available. It occurs when energetic reserves are low and implementation costs are high (Bakker et al., 2005; Frone & Blais, 2019; Frone & Tidwell, 2015; Hobfoll, 2018; Reeves, 2010). This study provides initial empirical support for the Initiative Fatigue Energetic Model and underscores the need for educational leaders to apply implementation science strategies to strengthen the “how” of implementation and better sustain the energetic resources required for effective and lasting school improvement efforts.

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