Development of school engagement and burnout across lower and upper secondary education: Trajectory profiles and educational outcomes

Inter- and intraindividual differences in Finnish adolescents’ developmental trajectories of school engagement and burnout (exhaustion, inadequacy, and cynicism) and their associations with students’ concurrent progression in mathematics performance and educational aspirations were investigated in an accelerated longitudinal study design spanning ages 13–17 (N = 1131, 50.9% girls). Growth mixture modeling analyses identified four distinct trajectory profiles: Positive academic well-being (high and stable engagement, low and stable burnout), Negative academic well-being (low U-shaped engagement, increased burnout), Disengaged (low U-shaped engagement, but also low and stable burnout), and Declining academic well-being (declining but U-shaped engagement, increasing burnout). Most students experienced a positive change in their trajectories after entering upper secondary education. Furthermore, students in the Positive academic well-being group performed better and progressed faster in mathematics and reported higher educational aspirations. Students in the Declining academic well-being group started out with high performance and aspirations, but they progressed at a slower rate in mathematics and lowered their aspirations over time. The Disengaged students’ performance progressed at the slowest rate of all groups, and they had one of the lowest educational aspirations overall. Lastly, students in the Negative academic well-being group performed the lowest in mathematics, and had one of the lowest aspirations for future educational degrees.     

Student teachers’ proactive strategies for avoiding study-related burnout during teacher education

The study aims to gain a better understanding of the function of proactive strategies in buffering study burnout among student teachers at the early stage of their studies. There is some evidence that the use of active social coping strategies during studies is related to reduced burnout levels among early career teachers. Less is known about the association between the proactive strategies and burnout among student teachers. Altogether, 244 Finnish student teachers completed the survey. The data were analysed by using SEM. The results suggested that the proactive strategies adopted by student teachers seem to prevent study-related burnout, especially in terms of exhaustion in studies and inadequacy in studying, but not directly the perceived cynicism towards studies. The results imply that learning how to use proactive strategies is functional in coping with study-related stressors, by reducing the risk of student teachers’ burnout.     

Feelings of existential fulfilment and burnout among secondary school teachers

Teacher burnout is recognized as a serious problem. In research it has been related to many person-specific variables; one of these, the variable of existential fulfilment, has received very little attention thus far. The present study focuses on the relationship between existential fulfilment and burnout among secondary school teachers in the Netherlands (N = 504). Existential fulfilment was made operational by means of the Existential Fulfilment Scale, which distinguishes between three dimensions: self-acceptance, self-actualization, and self-transcendence. A confirmatory factor analysis revealed a three-dimensional construct with interdependent dimensions. Burnout was measured by the Dutch version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory for teachers. Negative relationships between the existential fulfilment dimensions on the one hand and the burnout dimensions exhaustion and cynicism on the other were hypothesized, as well as positive relationships between the existential fulfilment dimensions and the burnout dimension professional efficacy. The hypotheses were confirmed, except for the relationships between self-transcendence and exhaustion and self-transcendence and cynicism, which appeared not to be significant. The inquiry demonstrated the importance of existential fulfilment for the prevalence and prevention of burnout among teachers. The study concludes with a discussion of the implications for future research.     

Gendered pathways from academic performance,motivational beliefs,and school burnout to adolescents’ educational and occupational aspirations

This study examined Finnish 9th-graders’ (N = 966) pathways to educational and occupational aspirations considering two academic domains: mathematics and reading. Multi-group structural equation models were conducted to investigate how domain-specific performance and motivational beliefs (self-concept and interest), and more general school burnout (exhaustion, cynicism, and inadequacy) relate to boys' and girls' aspirations. Performance in both domains was related to girls' educational aspirations, but only mathematics was linked to boys' aspirations. Positive within-domain relations from girls' motivational beliefs were also found, but their reading self-concept was negatively linked to their math-related occupational aspirations. For boys, only math-related motivational beliefs were associated with their aspirations. Lastly, school burnout was both directly and indirectly linked to students' aspirations. Overall, the study demonstrated the importance of including several factors when investigating students’ aspired educational degrees and occupational plans and, also, the added value of examining educational and occupational aspirations across academic domains.     

Special education teachers’ experienced burnout and perceived fit with the professional community: A 5-year follow-up study

In many countries, including in Finland, promoting inclusive school practices supporting pupils’ equal rights for learning is the focus of school development. Special education teachers play a central intermediary role in developing inclusive school and classroom practices by providing support both for pupils and peer teachers. This may increase their risk of experiencing exhaustion, cynicism towards the teacher community and/or inadequacy in pupil–teacher relationships. However, the resources of a school's social working environment experienced as a functional teacher–working environment fit may buffer the risk of developing burnout. This study aims to gain a better understanding of the interrelation between, and development of, special education teachers’ experienced burnout symptoms and perceived teacher–working environment fit across time. The longitudinal study included two measurements (in year 2010, n = 760 and in year 2016, n = 485). The results show that special education teachers’ experienced inadequacy in pupil–teacher relationships predicted teacher exhaustion, cynicism towards the teacher community and inadequacy in pupil–teacher relationships 5 years later. Moreover, a perceived good teacher–working environment fit predicted lower cynicism towards the teacher community 5 years later.     

A comprehensive needs assessment to facilitate prevention of school drop out and violence

The present study addresses school violence and school drop out and proposes that the underlying factor of school connectedness/school climate should guide preventive and intervention efforts. Data were gathered from five schools in a small city school district in north Georgia. Group and individual interviews served as the basis for constructing a 78‐item district‐wide survey administered to 304 school employees. Data are presented on individual items from the survey. Principal components analysis revealed five distinct factors: school connectedness/positive school climate, causes of violence, causes of school drop out, interventions for drop out, and interventions for violence. The principal components analysis was the basis for construction of a revised scale. Differences between revised scale scores were noted as a function of whether respondents were from central office, elementary or secondary schools. The five revised scales had correlation ranging from .31 to .59. Implications for research and practice are discussed. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

School drop out in Bangladesh: Insights using panel data

This paper examines the relative strength of different factors associated with school drop out using data collected between 2007 and 2009 in Bangladesh. A sample of 9046 children, aged 4–15, was selected across six districts for a household survey focusing on children's school access and experiences. Two groups of children were identified: those who were enrolled in school in both 2007 and 2009 and those who dropped out by 2009. Using a multivariate logit model, results show age and gender, together with financial constraints, such as lack of income and school expenditure, as the top predictors of school drop out. Two other important predictors are lack of parental support for children's school work and school absenteeism. This paper identifies some possible interventions that could reduce school drop out. These include campaigns to reduce late entry and overage enrolment, reductions in direct costs of schooling, and more support for low achieving children to compensate for lack of educational support at home.     

Suicidality, school dropout, and reading problems among adolescents

The purpose of this study was to examine the risk of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts and school dropout among youth with poor reading in comparison to youth with typical reading (n = 188) recruited from public schools at the age of 15. In a prospective naturalistic study, youth and parents participated in repeated research assessments to obtain information about suicide ideation and attempts, psychiatric and sociodemographic variables, and school dropout. Youth with poor reading ability were more likely to experience suicidal ideation or attempts and more likely to drop out of school than youth with typical reading, even after controlling for sociodemographic and psychiatric variables. Suicidality and school dropout were strongly associated with each other. Prevention efforts should focus on better understanding the relationship between these outcomes, as well as on the developmental paths leading up to these behaviors among youth with reading difficulties.     

Temporal development of student burnout symptoms: Sociodemographic differences and linkage to university dropout intentions

Considering the demanding higher education context, university students are at risk to experience burnout symptoms such as emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and reduced professional efficacy. Theoretical models (e.g., Job Demands-Resources Model) state that burnout symptoms develop over time, vary between individuals, and bear adverse consequences. To date, the temporal development of student burnout symptoms within semesters, inter-individual differences in their development, and the role of their development for academic outcomes like student dropout are understudied. To complement this limited research, we used date of a three-wave longitudinal study with N = 1435 undergraduate students over one semester. First, we modeled unconditional second-order latent growth curves to examine the initial levels and trajectories of each burnout symptom (emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and reduced professional efficacy). We then modeled conditional second-order latent growth curves to examine whether initial levels and trajectories differed depending on students’ sociodemographic characteristics (gender, age, study progress, and academic major) and associated with students’ intentions to drop out from university. Results indicated a linear increase in student burnout symptoms over the semester. Sociodemographic differences existed in the initial levels of emotional exhaustion and reduced professional efficacy and the trajectories of each symptom. Generally, female, STEM, and higher- and lower- semester students were particularly affected by burnout symptoms. Further, higher initial levels and an increase in each symptom corresponded with higher dropout intentions. Summarizing, the results highlighted that student burnout symptoms increase as the semester progresses, seem more pronounced among certain student groups, and operate as strong predictors for dropout intentions.     

Item analysis of Guglielmino's self‐directed learning readiness scale

The present study was designed to ascertain the effect of a sabbatical year on teachers’ professional identity, feelings of job burnout and intentions to leave either their workplace or the profession. The sample was drawn from those members of the Israel primary school teacher population who were eligible to be on a sabbatical during the 1991‐92 school year. The subjects filled out survey questionnaires before and after taking their sabbaticals. The findings indicate that a sabbatical in conjunction with a professional training programme had great impact on strengthening the teachers’ professional image, and reducing their feelings of job burnout and intentions to leave their workplace or profession.     

Emotional labor and burnout among Turkish primary school teachers

Emotions play a critical role in teaching, especially in primary schools. Teachers have to manage their feelings in order to sustain a positive classroom climate. Managing feelings as a requirement of work is called emotional labor, which is a relatively new area of research in teaching. The main aim of this research was to investigate the type of emotional labor strategies Turkish primary school teachers often use and whether emotional labor is a predictor of burnout for primary teachers in a Turkish context. Also, the authors explore if there is a significant variation in emotional labor in terms of gender and school type (public/private). A survey was conducted with the participation of 370 primary school teachers from Ankara, Turkey. Results indicated that Turkish primary school teachers mostly engage in genuine emotions in their relationships with students. Female teachers use deep and surface acting strategies more often than males. Also, private school teachers were found to use deep acting strategies and display genuine emotions more often than public school teachers. Finally, it was found that emotional labor is a significant predictor of burnout among Turkish primary school teachers.     

Stress Among Teachers: Exploring the Role of Cultural Diversity in Schools

We investigated the effects of stereotypical expectations regarding cultural diversity on teachers’ feelings of burnout, stress, and self-efficacy beliefs. With an experimental design, we confronted teachers with fictitious schools that were either high or low in cultural diversity and assessed the teachers’ feelings of burnout and self-efficacy beliefs (Study 1) and their stress with respect to culturally responsive teaching and locus of control (Study 2). Teachers who were confronted with a highly culturally diverse school showed higher feelings of burnout and stress and lower self-efficacy than teachers presented with a school low in cultural diversity. School composition affected teachers from primary and secondary schools differently. The consequences of holding stereotypical beliefs about highly culturally diverse schools are discussed.     

A positive psychological viewpoint for success at school – 10 characteristic strengths of the Finnish high-achieving students

People who exploit their strengths flourish; they are not only engaged with their goals, but also to their well-being and the content of life. In this study, interest focused on the high-achieving students in the Finnish general upper secondary education, in other words, on straight-A graduates’ characteristic strengths. This was a narrative study in which the data were obtained through written narratives and narrative interviews among 14 Finnish straight-A graduates. The data were analyzed with narrative analyzing methods. Ten typical strengths found and further categorized into three key dimensions were: (1) the thirst of knowledge and passion for learning, (2) fortitude and authenticity, and (3) love. This study implied that the youth’s school paths and well-being actively increased their own characteristic strengths.     

School climate factors relating to teacher burnout: A mediator model

The present study investigated components of school climate (i.e. parent/community relations, administration, student behavioral values) and assessed their influence on the core burnout dimensions of Emotional Exhaustion, Depersonalization, and feelings of low Personal Accomplishment. The study weighed the relative contributions of demographic factors (i.e. gender, age, years of teaching experience), teacher satisfaction, and teacher-rated school climate that predict resultant levels of teacher stress and burnout from 17 rural schools in southeastern Ohio. Results revealed that different aspects of school climate related to each of the three primary burnout dimensions. Further, the inverse relationship between school climate and burnout was mediated by teacher satisfaction levels for both Emotional Exhaustion and Depersonalization dimensions. Results from the present study may be used in the development of future intervention targets for reducing teacher stress and burnout.     

Role stress and perceived intensity of burnout among school psychologists

This study investigated the relationship between role stress and perceived intensity of burnout for 209 school psychologists. It also investigated differences in role stress and burnout for school psychologists and four other educator groups (i.e., classroom teachers, school social workers, guidance counselors, and reading specialists). Concerning the three measures of burnout, school psychologists reported midrange perceptions of burnout along the Emotional Exhaustion and Personal Accomplishment dimensions and the second lowest level of burnout for Depersonalization, the second aspect of burnout. School psychologists also reported the second highest level of Role Conflict and the highest level of Role Ambiguity compared to other teacher groups. Findings also indicated that the components of role stress are significant predictors of the three aspects of burnout. Implications of these findings and suggestions for further research are offered.     

Emotional intelligence and components of burnout among Chinese secondary school teachers in Hong Kong

The relationships among four components of emotional intelligence (emotional appraisal, positive regulation, empathic sensitivity, and positive utilization) and three components of teacher burnout (emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment) were investigated in a sample of 167 Chinese secondary school teachers in Hong Kong. One hypothesized and five competing models were constructed and tested using structural equation modeling procedures. The hypothesized model provided an adequate and moderately good fit, suggesting that emotional exhaustion, influenced by emotional appraisal and positive regulation, was causally prior to depersonalization and personal accomplishment, but personal accomplishment could develop relatively independently from the burnout components through the influence of positive utilization of emotions. Implications of the findings on the articulation of components of emotional intelligence and burnout for preventive intervention efforts to combat burnout are discussed.     

Not all school dropouts are the same: Ethnic differences in the relation between reason for leaving school and adolescent substance use

Several national studies have revealed that students choose to drop out of school for a variety of reasons. Moreover, there are ethnic differences in the reasons dropouts give for leaving school. In the present study, the relation between reason for dropping out and substance use was explored in Mexican American and non‐Hispanic White adolescents. The results revealed that for Mexican American adolescents, substance use was highest among those who left school to be with their friends and lowest among those who left for family‐related reasons. Among non‐Hispanic White adolescents, there were no significant differences in substance use as a function of reason for leaving school. For both ethnicities, nearly one‐third of the dropouts reported that their substance use was an important contributor to their decision to leave school early. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed. Recommendations are made for ways in which the reasons that dropouts give for leaving school can be used to inform school programs. © 2002 John Wiley & Sons.     

Reading and writing ability and drop out in the Swedish upper secondary school

A three-year programme in upper secondary school is compulsory in Sweden. In reality, some youngsters refrain from applying to the upper secondary school (8 per cent) or drop out in advance (9 per cent). In Stockholm the Youth Centre has been assigned to arrange individual programmes for these pupils. The aim of this study is to investigate their reading and writing ability and to relate this retrospectively to their school experience. Instruments measuring reading comprehension, vocabulary and dictation were carried out on 286 respondents; in addition, background information concerning school attainment was collected. Ten respondents were selected, five high and five low achievers. An unstructured interview was used to investigate their home background, school and reading experiences. Students attending individual programmes at the Youth Centre had lower than average reading and writing abilities in comparison to students at the vocational programmes in upper secondary school. The whole group is characterized by low marks, immigrant background and partial school attendance. The analyses of interview statements reveal a common category - powerlessness - for those with and without reading disabilities. Separate categories were for high achievers - boredom - and for low achievers - lack of opportunity.     

商丘市初中教师工作倦怠状况及其社会支持的关系研究

This study surveyed the current situation of teacher burnout in a sample of 400 teachers from urban junior high school in Shangqiu of Henan Province with scales, and examined the relationship between dimensions of teacher burnout and sources and types of social support they received. The results show that Shangqiu urban junior high school teachers’ emotional exhaustion is serious; gender does not affect the score of burnout significantly; teachers with 1 year job experience recorded significantly lower scores of burnout than others, and teachers who have worked for 6–10 years is second; urban junior high school level affects the score of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization significantly, but does not affect reduced personal accomplishment; social support is most important to enhance feelings of the teacher’s personal accomplishment; among all the sources, supervisor and principal support is the most significant predictor of teacher burnout; emotional support is more significant predictor of teacher burnout than practical support; peer support increases the teacher’s emotional exhaustion. __________ Translated from Jiaoshi Jiaoyu Yanjiu 教师教育研究(Teacher Education Research), 2007, 19(3): 65–71     

Re-examining the impact of dropping out on criminal and labor outcomes in early adulthood

This paper shows that while high school dropouts fare far worse on average than otherwise similar high school completers in early adulthood outcomes such as success in the labor market and future criminal activity, there are important differences within this group of dropouts. Notably, those who feel “pulled” out of school (i.e., they say they dropped out of school to work or take care of family) do similarly with respect to labor market and criminal outcomes in their early twenties to individuals with similar pre-dropout characteristics who complete high school. It is only those who feel they are more “pushed” out of school (i.e., they say they drop out for other reasons including expulsion, poor grades, moving, and not liking school) who do substantially worse than otherwise similar high school completers. These results suggest that any detrimental impacts from dropping out of school arise primarily when the drop out does not have a plan for how to use his time after dropping out.