The Road to Teacher Burnout and its Possible Protecting Factors – A Narrative Review

Abstract

<p><em>In this review study personality characteristics and workplace environment variables (with special attention to classroom conditions) areinvestigated regarding the phenomenon of teacher burnout in order to discover the basis of an effective intervention program. Regardingthe studies, the Maslach Burnout Inventory Educational Survey for burnout measurement</em>(Maslach, Schaufeli, & Leiter, 2001)<em>was applied in all of the researches. Samples have been collected from the USA and several countries of Europe. According to the results, workload and social support turned out to be major influencing factors as much aswork characteristicsare concerned, and positive affectivity, emotional stability and self-efficacy were the major influencing variables as much as personality characteristicsare concerned. As a conclusion of the correlating tendencies, a hypothesized model has been created, in order to explain the process of how an individual responds to his or her environment in the process of burnout, where the steps are: </em>(1) emotional traits (e.g.: emotional stability, positive affectivity, extraversion) -> (2) perceived work environment and work characteristics -> (3) consideration about one’s ability to cope (self-efficacy, self-confidence) -> (4) choice of a coping strategy -> (5) influence on the level of burnout (either increase or decrease).<em></em></p>