Occupational burnout among teachers: is it seasonal?

Arh Hig Rada Toksikol. 2022 Sep 30;73(3):233-240. doi: 10.2478/aiht-2022-73-3582. eCollection 2022 Sep 1.

Abstract

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to compare occupational burnout in two groups of teachers from the district of Bijeljina (Bosnia and Herzegovina) measured with the Serbian version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory survey for workers in human services (MBI-HSS) at the beginning (group 1) and the end of the school year 2018/2019 (group 2) to see if there are seasonal differences. The questionnaire also included standard sociodemographic data and job description (primary and/or secondary school position, length of service, and overtime work). The prevalence of emotional exhaustion and depersonalisation was low in both groups. However, emotional exhaustion and depersonalisation scores significantly shifted to higher values between the beginning and the end of the school year. We also found a statistically significant association between emotional exhaustion and overtime and between depersonalisation and work in a secondary school (p<0.05). These findings invite further research of occupational burnout seasonality in schoolteachers, preferably by following up cohorts which would be controlled for sociodemographic and work-related variables.

U ovom je presječnom istraživanju uspoređena prevalencija sindroma izgaranja na poslu u dvjema skupinama nastavnika na području Bijeljine u Bosni i Hercegovini te je procijenjen njegov sezonski karakter. Sindrom izgaranja na poslu mjeren je na početku (skupina I.) i na kraju školske 2018./2019. godine (skupina II.). Za potrebe ovoga istraživanje korištena je srpska inačica Maslachina upitnika izgaranja na poslu za stručnjake pomagačkih zanimanja (izv. Maslach Burnout Inventory Survey for Workers in Human Services, krat. MBI-HSS). Upitnik je uključivao i standardne sociodemografske podatke, kao i podatke o radnomu mjestu (rad u osnovnoj i/ili srednjoj školi, dužina radnog staža i prekovremeni rad). Prevalencija emocionalne iscrpljenosti i depersonalizacije bila je niska u objema skupinama ispitanika na početku mjerenja, ali se na kraju školske godine povećala. Utvrđena je statistički značajna razlika između emocionalne iscrpljenosti i prekovremenoga rada, kao i između depersonalizacije i rada u srednjim školama (p<0,05). Rezultati istraživanja upućuju na potrebu daljnjeg ispitivanja sezonskoga karaktera sindroma izgaranja na nastavničkom poslu, po mogućnosti kohortnim istraživanjem kojim bi se pratile sociodemografske i radne varijable ispitanika.

Keywords: chronic stress; depersonalisation; depersonalizacija; educators; emocionalna iscrpljenost; emotional exhaustion; kronični stres; osnovne škole; primary school; problemi povezani s radom; prosvjetni radnici; secondary school; srednje škole; work-related problems.

MeSH terms

  • Burnout, Professional* / epidemiology
  • Burnout, Professional* / psychology
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Humans
  • Job Satisfaction
  • Seasons
  • Surveys and Questionnaires