Psychological capital, mindfulness, and teacher burnout: insights from Chinese EFL educators through structural equation modeling.

Objective: This cross-sectional study employs Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to examine the relationships among psychological capital, mindfulness, and teacher burnout in a sample of 387 Chinese English as a Foreign Language (EFL) educators. Methods: Self-reported data were analyzed to investigate the direct and indirect effects of psychological capital on teacher burnout, with mindfulness serving as a potential mediator. Results: Our SEM analysis reveals a significant direct negative association between psychological capital and teacher burnout. Moreover, mindfulness significantly mediates the relationship between psychological capital and burnout, indicating that higher psychological capital leads to increased mindfulness, which subsequently reduces burnout. Conclusion: This study underscores the importance of psychological capital and mindfulness in mitigating teacher burnout among Chinese EFL educators. The findings suggest that interventions targeting both psychological capital and mindfulness practices could bolster teacher well-being and foster a more positive educational environment.

The Symptom Network Structure of Teachers' Burnout and Its Connection to Psychological Capital.

Background: Teacher burnout is characterized by emotional and physical exhaustion resulting from excessive work-related stress. Previous research based on traditional latent variable theory has revealed a significant negative relationship between TB and psychological capital (PsyCap). This study explored the complex symptoms of TB and the contact points of PsyCap in reducing TB using psychometric network analysis. Methods: A total of 3991 teachers completed the burnout subscale of the Professional Quality of Life and Psychological Capital Scale. Results: The results showed that: (a) In the TB network, the core symptoms displayed by teachers due to burnout are difficulty feeling "I am a very caring person", "I am happy", and "I am the person I always wanted to be"; (b) The TB-PsyCap network was closely connected, and the symptoms affected each other. PsyCap affected the TB network through "I feel optimistic and happy almost every day" and "I often feel that there is a future as a teacher"; (c) PsyCap's bridge symptoms had a negative impact on TB, and PsyCap may reduce TB primarily through optimistic, hopeful dimensions. Conclusion and Implications: Psychometric network analysis helps us understand the complex symptoms of TB and the contact points of PsyCap in reducing TB. This study offers valuable insights into the prevention of, and intervention in, burnout within the teaching community.

Use of School-Based Interventions for ADHD, Professional Support, and Burnout Symptoms among Teachers in Iceland.

OBJECTIVE: Effective school-based interventions for youth with ADHD are critical to their success. We examined whether teacher application of such interventions and perceptions of professional support related to greater well-being, including fewer burnout symptoms. METHOD: Teachers in primary schools in Iceland were invited to participate in an online survey, including questions about professional support and the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). The sample comprised N = 592 (88.5% female) participants. RESULTS: Regression analyses indicated that use of recommended ADHD interventions was positively associated with MBI-Personal Achievement (PA). Greater satisfaction with professional support related to lower MBI-Emotional Exhaustion and MBI-Depersonalization, and higher MBI-PA. Level of professional support was positively associated with use of recommended interventions. CONCLUSION: Effective interventions and support for students with ADHD may enhance teacher well-being. Icelandic teachers require further training and professional support in best practices for ADHD, to help promote teacher and student success.

Job burnout among teachers handling English as a foreign language in China: review and prospects.

In recent years, job burnout of English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers in China has become prominent in the field of education and psychology, with the related research articles generally on the rise. Using the database of Web of Science (WOS) and the sub-database of Chinese Social Sciences Citation Index (CSSCI) in China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) database, this paper comprehensively reviews the current situation of research on job burnout of EFL teachers in China between 2020 and 2023, from the aspects of research methods, research focuses and research findings. The literature research results show that on the whole, the research on job burnout of EFL teachers in China is still in its infancy, and that the research level is still relatively low. Based on the systematic reviews of the collected studies, we can conclude that although there is no unanimous conclusion between demographic variables and job burnout severity of EFL teachers in China, we can intervene at both the teacher and school levels to alleviate job burnout of EFL teachers. This review paper analyzes some main problems existing in the current research, for example, lack of theoretical construction and guidance, too much concentration on some research topics, lack of diversified and interdisciplinary research methods, lack of longitudinal research, and potential directions for future research are also discussed in the paper.

Distant learning and primary school teacher burnout: Assessing the effect during coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, 2021.

BACKGROUND: Teaching is indeed a very stressful occupation. Owing to the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, certain changes were made in education in Saudi Arabia. A switch to a 100% distant learning in some courses was implemented, thereby increasing the burden on teachers. The aim of this study was to assess the level of burnout and the impact of distant learning on burnout in primary school teachers during the pandemic. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study recruited 295 primary school teachers in Jeddah City, Saudi Arabia. Data were collected using self-administered questionnaire having two parts: the first part included questions on sociodemographic charecteristics and the second part included questions related to distant learning and the Arabic version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Chi-square test was used to assess association between burnout and various factors. For comparison of mean scores by various factors, analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed. RESULTS: A high level of burnout was perceived by 48.4% of the teachers in the dimension of emotional exhaustion, 26.4% in the depersonalization dimension, and 60% in the reduced personal accomplishment dimension. Teachers in the public school showed a higher burnout score than teachers in the private schools. The teachers in 40-50 age group had higher scores than the teachers with other age groups. There were no significant differences in terms of gender and years of experience. A higher proportion of teachers working in private schools had higher personal accomplishment than teachers working in Government schools (P = 0.01). Regarding personal accomplishment and depersonalization subscales, there were differences between the different types of schools. The teachers who believed "distance/E-learning was difficult" had lower personal accomplishment score. CONCLUSION: According to the study, primary teachers in Jeddah suffer from burnout. More programs should be implemented to deal with teacher burnout and more research focusing on these groups should be done.

Teacher Burnout in Saudi Arabia: The Catastrophic Role of Parental Disengagement.

The present study predicts teacher burnout from previous experiences, efficacious beliefs, student achievement, and parental engagement. Data came from the Trends in International Mathematics and Science study (TIMSS 2019) and utilized a random sample of n = 2000 from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It was hypothesized that parental engagement and involvement in school may represent a salient factor in understanding teacher burnout in that if parental disengagement is high, necessary supports and resources available to the teacher are withdrawn. This thesis was tested using the cusp catastrophe with linear negative predictors of teacher burnout being teacher satisfaction, years of experience, teacher efficacy, and student achievement. The role of parental disengagement was verified with critically low levels of parental engagement being associated with abrupt and unpredictable levels of teacher burnout. It is concluded that parental engagement and involvement in schools may provide critical supports that are necessary for teachers to successfully manage their workload.

Modeling the effect of loving pedagogy dispositions and teacher self-efficacy on teacher burnout.

Introduction: Foreign language teaching is a demanding and challenging profession, and teacher burnout is a common issue in this field. There is a growing research interest in exploring the factors that can protect teachers from burnout and promote their well-being, as well as their effectiveness in the classroom. One such factor might be loving pedagogy, which refers to a teacher's positive and compassionate attitudes and behaviors toward their students. This study aimed to examine the association between Dispositions toward Loving Pedagogy (DTLP), teacher self-efficacy, and teacher burnout among a sample of Chinese English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers. Methods: The participants included 428 English teachers from various parts of China. Data on the three constructs were gathered using an electronic survey which comprised three valid questionnaires for these variables. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test the hypothesized relations among the latent constructs. Results: The results indicated that loving pedagogy dispositions negatively affected teacher burnout and that teacher self-efficacy mediated the effect of loving pedagogy on burnout. More precisely, higher levels of loving pedagogy were associated with greater levels of teacher self-efficacy, which is in turn negatively affected teacher burnout. Discussion: These outcomes shed more light on the importance of loving pedagogy dispositions for teachers' mental health and well-being. The findings have implications for theory and practice, as they suggest that fostering loving pedagogy dispositions among teachers can help prevent burnout and promote their well-being. Teacher training programs could integrate this construct into their curricula to support teachers in developing these attitudes and behaviors. Additionally, future research could explore ways to enhance loving pedagogy and self-efficacy among teachers and assess their impact on teacher well-being and effectiveness.

Psychosocial work environment stressors for school staff during the COVID-19 pandemic: Barriers and facilitators for supporting wellbeing.

Introduction: After periods of remote and/or hybrid learning as a result of the COVID-19 global pandemic, the return to in-person learning has been beneficial for both students and teachers, but it has not been without challenges. This study was designed to assess the impact of the return to in-person learning on the school experience, and efforts made to ease the transition in furthering a positive in-person learning environment. Materials and methods: We conducted a series of listening sessions with 4 stakeholder groups: students (n = 39), parents (n = 28), teachers/school staff (n = 41), and a combination of listening sessions and semi-structured interviews with building level and district administrators (n = 12), focusing on in-school experiences during the 2021-2022 school year amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. A primarily deductive qualitative analysis approach was employed to code the data followed by a primarily inductive thematic analysis, followed by thematic aggregation, thus providing depth and identification of nuances in the data. Results: Three main themes emerged around school staff experiences: (1) increased levels of stress and anxiety manifested in key ways, including students' challenges with personal behavior management contributing to increased aggression and staff shortages; (2) school staff described key contributors to stress and anxiety, including feeling excluded from decision making and challenges with clear and consistent communication; and (3) school staff described key facilitators that supported their management of anxiety and stress, including adaptability, heightened attention and resources to wellbeing, and leveraging interpersonal relationships. Discussion: School staff and students faced significant stress and anxiety during the 2021-2022 school year. Further exploration and identification of approaches to mitigate key contributors to increased stress and anxiety for school staff, along with increased opportunities for implementing key facilitators that were identified as important in managing and navigating the increased stress and anxiety offer valuable opportunities for helping to create a supportive work environment for school staff in the future.

Burnout syndrome in different teaching levels during the covid-19 pandemic in Brazil.

BACKGROUND: This article's purpose is to compare burnout syndrome indicators at different levels of teaching in Brazil during the covid-19 pandemic. The comparison also considers the teachers' quality of life and health, working conditions, and digital competence. METHODS: The hypotheses of this study are that there are statistically significant differences in teachers' burnout rates, quality of life, working conditions, and digital competences depending on the teaching level. A mixed-methods ex-post-facto survey involved 438 Brazilian teachers, with a mean age of 42.93 years (SD = 9.66), 330 females (75%) and 108 males (25%). Data were collected through an online questionnaire. Statistical analysis of variance (ANOVA) tests was performed to compare groups, the Tukey test for paired comparison of the analyzed groups, and the chi-square to verify the association between variables. RESULTS: Higher levels of digital competence were associated with lower burnout syndrome scores. Elementary and middle school teachers presented worse quality of life and health indexes. Adapting pedagogical work involved learning but also overwork, exhaustion, and frustration. CONCLUSIONS: The study concludes that basic education teachers had higher burnout rate scores than higher education teachers during the covid-19 pandemic and that early childhood education should be treated as a separate category. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Ethics approval was obtained from the University of Santa Catarina (UFSC) Research Ethics Committee (4.432.063, December 7, 2020). Informed consent was obtained from all subjects.

The dynamics of burnout among Slovenian primary school teachers over the school year in relation to their perceptions of various predictors of burnout in the school context.

This study examined the dynamics of teacher burnout over the course of the school year in relation to individual and environmental factors in the school context based on a three-wave panel design using an MBI-ES questionnaire and a self-constructed inventory to measure individual and environmental factors of burnout. The sample consisted of 718 teachers from 32 Slovenian primary schools; 163 of them participated in all measurements. The major limitation of this study is the high attrition rate. However, attrition analysis showed no significant differences between the initial sample and the panel group on background variables and burnout dimensions or on environmental and individual factors. Burnout was present but not pronounced among participating teachers: Emotional exhaustion was moderately high and depersonalization and personal accomplishment were low. Over the course of the school year, burnout did not increase consistently and gradually; we found only a statistically significant increase in personal accomplishment in the middle of the school year and a statistically significant greater sense of burnout at the end of the school year. As stress accumulates over time, we would expect burnout to increase. We hypothesize that participants reduced the effects of stress through various coping strategies and/or replenish their resources. We believe that the school year is not long enough for burnout to develop. The number of stressors perceived by teachers was significantly related to burnout rates. Teachers experience stress, especially in work not directly related to teaching, and from their own performance expectations. Multivariate regression analyses yielded three different but similar models of predictors of burnout that explained 25 to 50% of the variance in teacher burnout. Regardless of the instability of the models, the time and energy demands of working with students, teacher characteristics, and classroom management are the stable antecedents in the predictor models of teacher burnout.

A cognitive-behavioral approach to teacher burnout: A randomized controlled trial of a group therapy program.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: As a well-known phenomenon with significant social, biological, and psychological impacts, burnout syndrome has been viewed and treated from different therapeutic perspectives. However, few studies have evaluated interventions to prevent and alleviate teacher burnout. DESIGN: This study comprised a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of a group-based cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) program for teacher burnout, with assessments at pre-treatment, post-treatment, and 6-month follow-up. METHODS: The Maslach Burnout Inventory-Educators Survey (MBI-ES) was administered to 242 English language teachers with diverse professional profiles in Iran. Of these, 62 teachers with burnout symptoms were randomly assigned to either a group-based eight-week CBT treatment program or a waiting list control condition. RESULTS: The results of a series of mixed factorial ANOVAs demonstrated significantly greater improvements for the treatment compared to the control condition on the total score and three subscales of the MBI-ES (teachers' emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment) at post-treatment, with treatment effects maintained at 6-month follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: This CBT intervention has promise for supporting teachers in stressful occupational conditions and reducing their burnout.

Bidirectional associations among teachers' burnout and classroom relational climate across an academic year.

In the present study, we examined bidirectional associations between two components of teachers' burnout (personal accomplishment and emotional exhaustion) and classroom relational climate (closeness and conflict) across two time points within an academic year. Participants included 330 elementary school teachers (third and fourth grade) and 5081 students in a large, urban city in the northeastern United States. Students were primarily Hispanic/Latino (66%) or Black/African American (22%), and most were from low-income households. Forty-seven percent of teachers were White, 25% Black, and 31% identified as Hispanic/Latino. Two modeling approaches were used for preliminary detection of bidirectional relations among burnout and classroom relational climate. First, a crossed-lagged panel model showed a clear pattern from earlier relational climate to later burnout; closeness and conflict at Time 1 predicted personal accomplishment at Time 2, and conflict at Time 1 predicted emotional exhaustion at Time 2. No evidence was found for earlier burnout predicting later relational climate. Second, a set of latent change score models indicated that increases in closeness from Time 1 to Time 2 were associated with decreases in emotional exhaustion across the academic year. Together, findings provide preliminary evidence for associations from classroom relational climate to teacher burnout, but not the other way around. Implications of these findings for teachers and school psychologists are discussed.

Unpacking the role of Chinese EFL teacher aggression and burnout in their professional success: A teachers' psychology perspective.

This study aims to investigate the role of Chinese English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers' aggression and burnout in their professional success. To accomplish this, 362 EFL teachers (i.e., 59 males, 303 females) were invited to respond to three valid measures of the variables (i.e., Maslach burnout inventory, teacher aggression scale, and teacher professional success scale). Performing Spearman's rho correlation tests, negative and significant correlations were found between teacher burnout, teacher aggression, and teacher professional success. Moreover, as the results of regression analyses indicated, both teacher aggression and teacher burnout were found to be the negative predictors of EFL teachers' professional success. It implies that the higher the amount of teacher aggression and teacher burnout, the less professionally successful a teacher would be. The implications of the results are finally discussed.

How Does Transformational Leadership Relieve Teacher Burnout: The Role of Self-Efficacy and Emotional Intelligence.

This study explored the underlying mechanisms and boundary conditions of the relationship between transformational leadership and teacher burnout. Specifically, it investigated the mediating role of teacher self-efficacy and the moderating role of teacher emotional intelligence (EI) in this relationship. Data from 539 primary and secondary school teachers were analyzed using Structural Equation Model and hierarchical regression. The results indicate that transformational leadership predicted teacher burnout negatively, self-efficacy mediated the association of transformational leadership with burnout partially, and EI strengthened the association between transformational leadership and burnout. This study has important theoretical and managerial implications as it deepens the understanding of the association between transformational leadership and burnout in the educational field and provides practical suggestions on how to relieve teacher burnout in the school context.

A review of burnout in college English teachers in China.

College English teachers' job burnout has become prominent in the field of education. Using China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) database, this review research on burnout of college English language teachers in China from 2006 to 2021. The review demonstrates key research areas including teacher burnout severity and influencing variables related to teacher burnout. Individual factors, such as age, gender, marital status, educational background, professional title, and years of teaching experience are associated with burnout rates. University type and level, teaching-related role overload, scientific research stress induced by promotion, limited job autonomy, a stern hierarchical organizational system, and opaque operating rules are influencing factors discussed. Possible ways to reduce burnout across micro, meso, and macro-levels, along with practical implications and limitations are discussed.

Secondary trauma, burnout, and teacher self-care during COVID19: A mixed-methods case study.

Manifestations of teacher burnout have been negatively associated with students' academic achievement, school satisfaction, and perceived teacher support. The 2020-2021 school year presented unique challenges for teachers, who had to find new ways to support their students, their families, and themselves. This study examined teachers' experiences with secondary trauma, burnout, and self-care during COVID-19 at one K-5 trauma-informed school, the Wellington (pseudonym). We chose a mixed-methods convergent design utilizing both qualitative and quantitative data to support the findings. Using three measures, the Professional Quality of Life Scale, Mindful Self-Care Scale, and Teaching Self-Efficacy Scale, in fall 2020 and spring 2021, we examined 19 faculty and educational staff members' perceptions of and experiences with secondary trauma, burnout, and self-care. In spring 2021 we interviewed 13 of these teachers. Teachers noted how COVID-19 brought increased responsibilities at home and school, as well as disrupted self-care routines. However, data indicate stable compassion satisfaction, low secondary trauma, and average range burnout. Notably, faculty reported self-care in the form of supportive relationships and sense of purpose. These findings suggest that a trauma-informed approach may foster a supportive work environment, mitigating burnout.

Relationship Between Person-Organization Fit and Teacher Burnout in Kindergarten: The Mediating Role of Job Satisfaction.

As an important organizational factor, person-organization fit in kindergartens may lead to teacher burnout when it is unfitted. In order to explore the influence mechanism of person-organization fit on teacher burnout in kindergartens, this study introduced the variable of job satisfaction to study the mediating effect of job satisfaction on the relationship between person-organization fit and teacher burnout in kindergartens. A total of 637 teachers from Henan, China, were surveyed by Person-Organization Fit Scale, Job Satisfaction Scale and Maslach Burnout Inventory. Results showed that person-organization fit, job satisfaction and teacher burnout were negatively correlated. Person-organization fit is positively correlated with job satisfaction. Job satisfaction partially mediated the relationship between person-organization fit and teacher burnout in kindergartens. In the end, the results of the relationship between person-organization fit, job satisfaction, and teacher burnout in Chinese kindergartens were discussed in this study.

Toward the Impact of English as a Foreign Language Teachers' Grit and Self-Efficacy on Their Burnout.

Due to the adverse effects of teachers' burnout on their professional performance, remarkable attention has been devoted to this mental state and its negative predictors. In this regard, multiple empirical research has been carried out to assess the effects of grit and self-efficacy as negative predictors of teacher burnout. Yet, no empirical or review study has delved into the impact of these variables at the same time. The current study attempts to fill this gap by delineating the impact of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers' grit and self-efficacy on their burnout. The significant role of grit and self-efficacy in curbing EFL teachers' burnout was illustrated using theoretical and empirical evidence. The pedagogical implications are also offered.

Teachers' Burnout Risk During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Relationships With Socio-Contextual Stress-A Latent Profile Analysis.

The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to identify distinct burnout profiles of teachers and to examine their association with work-related stressors, such as workload, students' misbehavior, classroom resources, professional recognition needs and poor colleague relations, as well as socio-demographic variables. Survey data were collected from 330 kindergarten and primary school teachers (84 males, M age = 38.3, SD = 9.14). The latent profile analysis revealed four distinct profiles. The antecedents of teacher burnout (TB) profiles were the stress generated by workload, students' misbehavior, and low professional recognition. The socio-demographic variables, with the exception of gender, were covariates of the TB profiles. The findings implies that career opportunities prospects, classroom management and time-management programs may be useful in preventing teacher burnout.

Effects of Autonomy Support and Emotion Regulation on Teacher Burnout in the Era of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated levels of stress and anxiety for P-12 teachers around the globe. The present study aims to understand teachers' emotional experiences and feelings of burnout during the pandemic, and how individual (i.e., emotion regulation strategies) or contextual factors (e.g., school administrative support) intersect with different facets of their emotional experiences. Using a sequential explanatory mixed methods design, we collected and examined survey and interview data from teachers in the southeastern United States. The structural equation model confirmed the relationships among the following latent variables: negative emotion, emotion regulation, autonomy support, burnout, and teacher enthusiasm. Qualitative findings provide further insight in the contextualized nature of these relationships and how they play out across various schools and districts.