Date of Conferral

4-21-2026

Degree

Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.)

School

Psychology

Advisor

Derek Rohde

Abstract

Burnout in supervisors/managers working in residential substance use disorder (SUD) treatment settings poses serious threats to the agency, staffing, and client care. Behavioral health leaders need to understand how organizational culture and leadership practices shape burnout and resilience in their teams. This qualitative case study drew on the Leadership and Workforce categories of the Baldrige Excellence Framework to examine the influence of leadership and organizational culture on staff emotional well-being and resilience at a Boston-area nonprofit residential SUD treatment center. The study sought to answer: (a) how organizational culture and leadership affect supervisor and manager well-being and resilience; and (b) what organizational practices and supports reduce burnout and promote resilience. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 4 supervisors/managers, and relevant organizational documents were collected. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis, with an integrated approach combining inductive and deductive coding, utilizing the Baldrige Framework. Results suggest that psychological safety, leader accessibility/validation, and autonomy promoted resilience while staffing shortages and role ambiguity predicted burnout risk. Recommendations include strengthening leadership practices, increasing supervisory support, updating staffing models, and developing policies on resilience practices. Positive social change implications include the development of trauma-informed, equitable leadership practices that promote quality workforce stability, improve quality of care, and sustain recovery-oriented behavioral health.

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