Evaluation of academic burnout in college students. Application of SEM with PLS approach

Abstract

In several academic activities students experience a considerable stress in their daily life. Stressors may affect the mental and physical health of college students, leading some of them to the burnout syndrome. To evaluate this syndrome in students at Arizona State University (ASU), USA, a survey was conducted using a questionnaire previously developed, with ordinal variables. A theoretical Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was proposed and the estimated model was obtained applying the Partial Least Squares (PLS) approach. Based on the PLS-SEM path coefficients, the latent construct behavioural stress has a direct effect on distress and insecurity, and an indirect effect on both quantitative demands and academic burnout. Both mediator constructs quantitative demands and distress have a direct effect on the academic burnout in students. A multi-group analysis was also conducted to compare the path coefficients of the estimated model by gender, but the differences are not statistically significant. These results allow a better understanding of burnout syndrome in ASU college students, which can severely limit their psychosocial well-being and performance.