Seeking personal well-being and life satisfaction during a global pandemic can be daunting, such is the case for early care and education teachers who were considered non-health care essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The potential changes in their physical activity, along with their overall physical and psychological well-being, may have ultimately influenced their life satisfaction. These changes included the potential for increased sedentary behaviors. Despite the high health risks associated with these factors during the pandemic, the role of physical activity in early care and education teachers’ well-being and life satisfaction remains largely unknown. The purpose of this study is to examine the associations of physical activity and sedentary behaviors with teacher well-being and life satisfaction during the COVID-19 pandemic. In doing so, we explored two competing models of the relationship between the teachers’ physical activity, well-being, and life satisfaction, one with physical activity as a mediator and the other with teachers’ well-being as a mediator. An online survey, that collected information on physical, psychological, and professional well-being, job demands, and life satisfaction, was completed by 1434 US ECE teachers in 46 states. To test our hypothesized models, we conducted confirmatory factor analyses, followed by structural equation modeling. Of the respondents, 77% were overweight or obese and only 39% met the recommended 150 min of moderate physical activity per week. They had a mean life satisfaction score that qualifies as slight satisfaction, they experience moderate stress, and, collectively, are approaching the threshold for depression yet still reflect moderate-to-high work commitment. The empirical test of our competing mediation models found the model where teacher well-being mediated the association between physical activity, sedentary behavior, and life satisfaction was the superior model. The relationships between physical activity, sedentary behavior, and overall well-being suggest that these modifiable risk factors can be addressed such that early care and education teachers can improve their overall physical and psychological well-being, along with their life satisfaction.

While a global understanding of teacher well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic is beginning to emerge, much remains to be understood about what early childhood teachers have felt and experienced with respect to their work and well-being. The present mixed-method study examined early care and education (ECE) teachers’ working conditions and physical, psychological, and professional well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic using a national sample of 1434 ECE teachers in the U.S. We also explored differences in working conditions and well-being among in-person, online, and closed schools, given the unique challenges and risks that ECE teachers may have faced by teaching in these different modalities. From the results of an online survey, we found that in the early months of the pandemic, many ECE teachers faced stressful, challenging work environments. Some were teaching in new, foreign modes and formats, and those still teaching in person faced new challenges. We found many common issues and challenges related to psychological and physical well-being across the three teaching groups from the qualitative analysis, but a more complicated picture emerged from the quantitative analysis. After controlling for education and center type, we found that aspects of professional commitment were lower among those teachers teaching in person. Additionally, there were racial differences across several of our measures of well-being for teachers whose centers were closed. Upon closer examination of these findings via a moderation analysis with teacher modality, we found that Black and Hispanic teachers had higher levels of psychological well-being for some of our indicators when their centers were closed, yet these benefits were not present for Black and Hispanic teachers teaching in person.

Date Presented 04/01/2022 People with mental illness and limited resources tend to experience depression and decreased motivation to socialize with others. As a therapeutic intervention, gardening can affect a person’s mental health, well-being, social participation, and life satisfaction. This case series monitored four residents at a transitional housing facility to assess the preliminary and conclusive effects of a 5-week gardening group therapy on hope and well-being. Primary Author and Speaker: Jessica Dawn Tsotsoros Additional Authors and Speakers: Reagan Collins, Amberlee Middleton, Juanita Hinckley, Breanna Boyer, Alexandra Speer Contributing Authors: Hope Beach, Piper Rinehart, Alexandra Hamilton, Elizabeth Wallace, Amber Estes, Kaci Cunningham

Date Presented Accepted for AOTA INSPIRE 2021 but unable to be presented due to online event limitations. Adults living with serious mental illness (SMI) experience a reduced life expectancy of 10–25 years when compared with similar-aged peers. The I-HOPE (Integrating Healthy Habits Optimized by Community Participation and Engaged Learning) intervention was developed to address the wellness needs of adults with SMI in a community-based setting. This interprofessional study collected pilot data to determine the feasibility of future studies. Primary Author and Speaker: Jessica Dawn Tsotsoros Additional Authors and Speakers: Kaylee Peterson, Alexis Blasi, and Sarah Smith Contributing Authors: Peyton Pielsticker, Ken Randall, Cindy Hickl, and Sarah McClanahan

Date Presented 04/20/2023 This study compared the interrater reliability of two wheelchair assessments between therapists and students on an international service trip with the aim of improving wheelchair provision for children who need a moderate level of postural support. Having reliable data will encourage the appropriate provision of wheelchairs by local providers as well as improve the longevity and appropriateness of products being manufactured and provided in low- to middle-income countries. Primary Author and Speaker: Jessica Dawn Tsotsoros Additional Authors and Speakers: Lynn D. Jeffries, Reagan Collins, Katlyn McDonald, Juanita Hinckley Contributing Authors: Hailey Chamberlin, Luke McAuley, Cristi Carnahan