This study presents findings from a qualitative investigation of the interplay between professional identity, motivation, resilience, and burnout among teachers exposed to mass trauma. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 12 Jewish Israeli teachers (9 women, 3 men; M_age = 34.76, SD = 3.26) approximately 7–10 months after the October 7, 2023 attacks, all were affected by missile attacks and taught students temporarily evacuated from their communities. The study examined how prolonged exposure to crisis influences teachers’ professional experiences, identity formation, and coping strategies. Interviews were analyzed thematically, with coding developed from initial review of transcripts and refined to capture recurring patterns related to identity, resilience, motivation, and burnout. Reliability was enhanced through independent blind coding, demonstrating strong agreement with the primary author’s analysis. Participants described ongoing processes of reflection and redefinition of their professional roles, as trauma prompted engagement with personal values, sense of purpose, and career intentions. Burnout emerged as both a stress outcome and a catalyst for reflection, enabling boundary-setting, reprioritization, and professional re-evaluation. Teachers highlighted strategies and resources supporting their functioning, including peer collaboration, self-reflection, and adaptive classroom management. The findings demonstrate how teachers actively manage and sustain their professional identities during mass trauma, showing that crisis can simultaneously challenge and reshape professional identity. This study provides empirical insight into the complex interplay between trauma exposure and adaptive professional functioning, highlighting the importance of reflective processes and coping strategies in supporting educators in crisis contexts.

Authors:
Lipaz Shamoa-Nir, Zefat Academic College, Israel

About the Presenter(s)
Dr. Lipaz Shamoa-Nir, Ph.D. in social-organizational psychology, is currently a lecturer at the Department of Behavioral Sciences, Zefat Academic College, Israel.

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