STUDENT MISBEHAVIOUR, TEACHER SELF-EFFICACY, BURNOUT AND JOB SATISFACTION: EVIDENCE FROM CROATIA

Abstract

Student misbehaviour is an increasing problem of contemporary school. The aim of this research was to examine the extent to which teachers perceive student misbehaviour, how self-efficient they are, how satisfied they feel with support from their environment and with the teaching job itself, and to which extent they experience the burnout syndrome. The research included 603 primary and secondary school teachers in the Republic of Croatia, and it found quite low, but significant negative correlations between student misbehaviour and teachers’ self-efficacy, personal accomplishment, and job satisfaction. Besides, positive correlations between student misbehaviour and teacher burnout were also proven. Statistically significant differences between primary and secondary school teachers were found in their experience of student misbehaviour, dealing with adversities related to student misbehaviour and provided support from expert associates. The results of regression analysis indicate that the overall misbehaviour and satisfaction with help from parents significantly contribute to satisfaction with the teaching profession, and emotional exhaustion and depersonalization lead to decrease of job satisfaction. The results also indicate that demographic characteristics, namely years in service and the type of school, do not contribute to the explanation of neither burnout nor job satisfaction. The implications applicable in practice could relate to the need for preventing student misbehaviour and empowering teachers, regardless of their in-service years and the type of school they work at. Keywords: burnout, classroom management, job satisfaction, quantitative methodology, self-efficacy