Burnout Among Female Teachers In Malaysia

Abstract

This study is an attempt to survey the burnout level of female teachers in Malaysia and determine the likely factors that are associated with this phenomenon. The subjects of the study were 437 female teachers from primary, secondary, and tertiary levels. A demographic questionnaire was used to collect the data regarding the individual characteristics (e.g., marital status, number of children, age, and teaching experience) and organizational factors (e.g., teaching level and workload). The Maslach Burnout Inventory-Educator Survey (MBI-ES) (Maslach, Jackson, & Schwab, 1986) was also employed to collect the data concerning the burnout levels of the teachers in the three dimensions of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment. Descriptive and univariate statistics were used in the data analysis. It was found that the number of children, level of teaching, age, and years of teaching experience were significant indicators of burnout among the female teachers, while marital status and workload were not significantly related to their burnout syndrome. The implications and recommendations are also presented.