Assessment of Academic Burnout among University Students in Poland

Abstract

The phenomenon of academic burnout among students is caused by a variety of diverse factors, while its consequences have very serious consequences, both for the health of those affected and their effectiveness in later professional life. The purpose of the research presented in this article was to assess academic burnout using the example of universities in Poland. Data for analysis were collected through a survey questionnaire created by the authors of the study. The tool contained 16 mixed questions, including six to collect anonymous sociodemographic information. Statistical calculations used included Kruskal-Walli’s test, Spearman rank-order correlation, multivariate cluster analysis and PROFIT analysis to develop the model. A novelty is the holistic approach to student academic burnout, identifying not only its causes and symptoms but also drawing attention to preventive measures on the part of the University or those potentially exposed to it. The majority of the respondents experienced the phenomenon of academic burnout, which was most often associated with a large number of responsibilities and stress, while it was mainly manifested by discouragement and lack of enjoyment of learning; slightly less by mental exhaustion, a feeling of helplessness and lack of motivation to take on any challenges both in the near and long term. Furthermore, first-degree full-time students are the group most resistant to academic burnout, and the factor most likely to cause them to develop this problem is a lack of regularity in their studies. Second-degree students, particularly full-time students, are the most vulnerable to academic burnout.