Burnout in university professors: self-regulation and co-regulation as coping strategies

Abstract

Introduction. Research has shown that burnout is one of the main causes of teachers’ affectations. However, less is known about coping strategies for its prevention. This study analyzed the risk of teachers’ burnout profiles from a socio-contextual approach. Our primary hypothesis was that a greater adjustment between the teacher-work environment and the use of coping strategies -self-regulation and co-regulation-contribute to reducing the risk of experiencing symptoms of burnout. Method. Participants were 470 university teachers from México who completed the Proactive Strategies Scale and the Socio-contextual Scale of Teaching Burnout (Pietarinen et al., 2013; Pyhältö et al., 2020). Results. Findings showed three teachers’ burnout profiles based on the study variables. An association was detected between high levels of self-regulation and co-regulation and a lower risk of burnout. Results also showed a relationship between burnout and the socio-demographic variables. Discussion and conclusions. Findings imply that using proactive coping strategies - self-regulation and co-regulation-might prevent teacher burnout, especially when teachers face various professional challenges and demands. This refers to the need to establish resources to support teachers using a contextual approach to promote and develop active coping strategies that allow them to face present or future stressful situations.