Social Change Agent Wellness Model
This study utilizes the elements of a wellness model to explore how social justice fatigue manifests itself among Student Affairs Professionals (SAPros) while simultaneously providing a roadmap for intervention. I propose that social justice fatigue manifests because of the interaction between SAPros individual and occupational identities within the environmental context. I utilized Racial battle fatigue (RBF) and compassion fatigue to construct the concept of social just fatigue for SAPros.. Racial battle fatigue highlights the specific fatigue associated with the social psychological stress of encountering racism on a constant basis. Compassion fatigue results from working closely with clients, or in this case students, who are similarly experiencing trauma, racism, sexism, homophobia and other stress related to their identities and the environment, both social and structural. I link these theories together to explain how I am constructing social justice fatigue and most specifically to tie one’s occupational identity to the environment.
Most wellness models include at least six dimensions: physical, emotional, spiritual, social, intellectual, and occupational such as the one from the National Wellness Institute shown here.
This model provides a holistic overview of the integral dimensions of an individual’s life without ascribing judgement or norms within each dimension. It is descriptive instead of prescriptive and can provide insight into how individuals might utilize wellness elements to improve their overall life or experience of life. Centering occupational identity helps us understand how social justice fatigue can be mitigated.
This is an interdependent model where each dimension contributes to holistic wellness. Below is a brief description of each dimension of this model:
Occupational – this dimension recognizes personal satisfaction and enrichment in life through one’s work.
Physical – this dimension recognizes the importance and need for regular physical activity.
Emotional – this dimension recognizes the awareness and acceptance of one’s feelings.
Intellectual – this dimension recognizes one’s creative, stimulating mental activities.
Social – this dimension encourages contributing to one’s environment and community.
Spiritual – this dimension recognizes our search for meaning and purpose in human existence (Hettler, 1976).
This model provides a holistic overview of the integral dimensions of an individual’s life without ascribing judgement or norms within each dimension. It is descriptive instead of prescriptive and can provide insight into how individuals might utilize wellness elements to improve their overall life or experience of life. Next I describe how centering occupational identity will help me understand how social justice fatigue can be mitigated.
My conceptual framework centers the occupational dimension within a larger environment and proposes that the other elements of the wellness model serve as mediators of fatigue. This interdependent model allows us to understand occupational wellness as a component of holistic wellness. I have centered the occupational dimension because I have defined social justice fatigue within the context of individuals’ work. Therefore, if one cannot change the nature of the relationship of one’s work to the environment then focusing on the other dimensions of wellness can positively influence how individuals feel about their work.
With this conceptual framework supporting my understanding of social justice fatigue, I constructed a research proposal that recruited SAPros who self-identified as experiencing social justice fatigue to participate in a 30-day virtual accountability group to explore how social justice fatigue shows up in their life while simultaneously implementing daily wellness behaviors intended to mitigate social justice fatigue.
Definition of Terms
Student affairs professionals – SAPro; staff working at U.S. colleges and universities within units offering programs and initiatives that aspire to provide leadership, support, and service to students.
Racial Battle Fatigue – RBF; the physical, mental, and/or emotional/behavioral response to racial microaggressions (Smith, 2004).
Microaggressions - subtle, conscious or unconscious, intentional or unintentional, layered, cumulative, verbal and nonverbal, behavioral, and environmental insults directed at People of Color based on race and other distinguishing characteristics that cause unnecessary stress while benefiting Whites (Sue, 2010)
Compassion Fatigue –The negative effect or undesirable outcome experienced by caregivers who work with traumatized clients (Jacobson, 2012).
Burnout – The gradual emotional depletion, deficit of motivation, and lessened commitment to professional boundary adherence (Schaufeli, Leiter, & Maslach, 2009).
Secondary Trauma Stress – A set of intense emotions or feelings experienced by individuals who indirectly witness violence, threat of violence, or mistreatment of others (Arvay, 2001).
Social justice – “both a goal and a process. The goal is full and equitable participation of people from all social identity groups in a society that is mutually shaped to meet their needs. The process for attaining the goal of social justice should also be democratic and participatory, respectful of human diversity and group differences, and inclusive and affirming of human agency and capacity for working collaboratively with others to create change” (Adams & Bell, 2016, p. #)
Social Justice Fatigue - the physical, mental, and/or emotional toll incurred through advocating for social change while serving as an agent of an institution of higher education.
Social Change – acts that aim to improve the human condition, dismantle systems of oppression and/or create a positive difference in the world.
Activism – acts of defiance or resistance.