Development, magnitude and determinants of mental and emotional exhaustion of nursery school teachers

Abstract

This paper investigates mental exhaustion of educators in the years 2006, 2012 and 2018 as well as emotional exhaustion for the years 2012 and 2018, in both respects in comparison to other educational groups (data base: “Employee Surveys” carried out by the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training [BIBB], and the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health [BAuA]). Intragroup comparisons of educators as well as other occupational groups show differences according to age and sex. Based on their mental and emotional exhaustion, educators are categorized into four groups. Then the prevalence of different stress factors amongst educators and other occupational groups is shown. It is determined how these stress factors affect the probability to belong to the group with the highest mental and emotional exhaustion. Finally, it is shown which stress factors can be reduced in order to reduce educators’ mental and emotional exhaustion. There are single stress factors with leeway for improvements due to high levels amongst educators and which, at the same time, are crucial for exhaustion.