Teachers' Burnout Profile: Risk and Protective Factors

Abstract

© 2017 Ilaria et al. Background: Burnout syndrome represents a factual risk for school teachers during their career. Several factors have been analyzed as stress sources enabled to menace teachers’ general well-being; nevertheless, protective factors mostly related to their personal resources may differently characterize teachers’ profiles. Objectives: The current study aimed to define different teachers’ profiles based on their burnout levels and attitudes towards job (i.e., job satisfaction, self-efficacy, attitudes toward professional growth, collective efficacy, positive and negative emotions, and hedonic balance). attitudes towards job Methods: Participants were 266 school teachers (F=69.1%) ranging from 26 to 65 years old (M=48.95; SD=8.31), with teaching experience ranged from 1 to 41 years (M=21.72; SD=10.36). Data were collected by three self-report questionnaires: Copenhagen Burnout Inventory, Attitudes towards job questionnaires, School Collective efficacy. Results: Cluster analysis approach showed two distinct teacher’s profiles named at-risk and non at-risk teachers. Main differences were due to burnout levels, attitudes toward job and extra-mansions at work. No differences were found related to teachers’ socio-demographic characteristics and their years of experience. Conclusions: The two teachers’ profiles resulting from the cluster analysis show several similarities, including collective efficacy and job satisfaction levels. Results are discussed in relation as to how teachers’ positive emotions towards their job can work as protective factors against the risk of burnout.