Psychological Reporrs, 1992, 71, 523-531. O Psychological Reports 1992
LONGITUDINAL EXAMINATION O F TEACHERS' BURNOUT IN A SCHOOL DISTRICT ' STEPHEN NAGY AND M. CHRISTINE NAGY The University of Alubama Summary.-Teachers in a rural school district were administered the Maslach Burnout Inventory three times over a five-year period. Teachers scoring high on emotional exhaustion and low on personal accomplishment were classified as "experiencing burnout." Across the three waves, the proportion of teachers meeting these criteria for burnout were 7%, 11%, and 11%, respectively. By grade, burnout was noted among 3%. 8%and 9%, respectively, over time for senior high-school teachen; 7%, 7%, and l l q o for junior high-school teachers; and 9 % , 17%, and 12% for elementary school teachers. Inrerventions must consider grade taught and are probably most cost-effective for elementary school. It is important to establish norms across time and across school sertings to determine high-risk groups deserving interventions.
In recent years, "helping professions" and more specifically, teachers, have popularized the term "Burnout" as a colorful descriptor of job or work stress. The colloquial meaning of the term does not fully reflect the research definition of burnout as a "progressive loss of ideahsm, energy and purpose experienced by people in the helping professions as a result of the conditions of work" (Edelwich & Brodsky, 1980). Potential associated costs are high when teachers are absent. Subsequently, there has been an extensive search for factors associated with teachers' burnout. A review of the literature identified more than 40 variables as having significant relationships with teachers' burnout. In general, these associations can be grouped into three categories including environmental, intrapersonal, and professional factors. Within the environmental classification, factors include high studentlteacher ratios (Welskopf, 1980), perceived threats of violence to teachers (Mead, 1980), students' violence (Underwood, 1986), and disruptive children (Needle, Griffin, & Svendsen, 1981). Intrapersonal factors predisposing teachers to burnout focus on variables such as being a younger teacher (Russell, Altmaier, & Van Zelen, 1987), scoring lower on locus of control (Soh, 1986), having negative coping styles (Thompson, 1986), scoring Type A on behavioral surveys (Nagy & Davis, 1985), and being an ideahst (Pines, Aronson, & Kafry, 1981). In conjunction with the environmental and intrapersonal factors are professional influences. Professional variables associated with burnout include low administrative, supervisory, and peer support (Zabel & Zabel, 1982),
'Request reprints from Stephen Nagy, College of Education, The University of Alabama, Box 870312, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0312.
524
S. NAGY & M. C. NAGY
role ambiguity, role conflict, and role overload (Gallery, Eisenbach, & Holman, 1981). The large number of significant associations of variables with burnout contributes to confusion within the field of study. A review of the empirical research identifies some reoccurring weaknesses in design. Most studies of burnout have employed mail surveys with typical response rates between 50 and 60%. Although these return rates are generally considered acceptable in behavioral research (Babbie, 1973), the very nature of burnout implies that "burned out" teachers will be least likely to respond to such sampling procedures. These studies therefore may have a built-in selection bias. A second major weakness is the single-time analysis which has led to the premise that burnout is a relatively stable trait. Results of a study conducted in Great Britain questioned this belief. Capel (1987) collected data on burnout at the beginning of the school year and the findings indicated that teachers were not experiencing burnout. Rather than conclude that teachers were not experiencing burnout, the author observed that the burnout process was influenced by the time of year when the study was conducted, suggesting that rates vary over time. According to theory, this reasoning was in error, since burnout is considered to be a stable condition once a person has progressed to it (Maslach, 1983). Although rates should not vary dramatically during the year, few studies have examined samples repeatedly to assess whether burnout rates are cyclical, linear, or constant. Another weakness in research on burnout has been the unit of analysis. Most studies have focused on the teacher. Since environmental and professional factors are associated with burnout, the unit of analysis should focus on school districts (Jackson, Schwab, & Schuler, 1986), individual schools, or even the level of school (elementary or secondary). A final shortcoming concerns measurement. Most studies have utilized the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Typically, researchers assess the relationship among a variety of explanatory factors and scores on each subscale. This process, however, is incorrect since the burnout process or profile requires that an individual score in the high range on emotional exhaustion and depersonalization in addition to scoring in the low range on buffers (i.e., personal accomplishment) (Maslach & Jackson, 1982). Researchers have frequently reported scores on one subscale (typically high emotional exhaustion) while not assessing whether buffering factors (such as high personal accomplishment) negate the classification of the individual as "burned out." The primary purpose of this study was to examine a school district's rate of teacher burnout over a five-year span. A secondary purpose examined the relationship between the school grade (elementary, junior high, or senior high) on burnout rates and also the effect of changes in school leadership on these rates.
TEACHERS' BURNOUT
525
Subjects I n the population were 635 full-time teachers in a county school system adjacent to a major metropolitan area in Alabama. Researchers attended regularly scheduled faculty meetings at which teachers were asked to volunteer for the study. Questionnaires were distributed at the beginning of these meetings, and teachers deposited their completed forms in a collection box at the close of the meeting. Teachers were surveyed three times between 1983 and 1988. I n the initial assessment, 610 teachers participated providing a 96% response rate of all potential subjects. The second assessment involved 469 teachers with 446 completing forms for a 95% response rate. Three of the original schools did not participate in the second assessment. I n addition, 18% of the original sample who participated in the initial assessment had been replaced by teachers' moving. The final assessment included 582 teachers, with 566 providing usable data for a 97% response rate. Two of the original schools did not participate on the third occasion. At this final assessment period, 39% of the original sample had been replaced. For purposes of this study, the sample was drawn from teachers who participated in all three waves of the study. Subsequently, 12 elementary schools, two junior high schools, and three senior high schools were involved in the analysis. Although this is a repeated-measures design, data collected on individual teachers across the three assessment periods could not be matched for comparison purposes since data were identified on the basis of school to protect the confidentiality of the respondent. The analysis, therefore, treats the three assessment periods as independent samples.
Instrumentation Burnout was assessed utilizing the Maslach Burnout Inventory, a 22item scale which has responses addressing both the intensity and frequency of feeling towards each question. Cronbach's estimates of internal consistency have been reported as .80 for frequency and .79 for intensity (Maslach & Jackson, 1982). The inventory has established means and categories of low, moderate, and high have been developed for each of the three subscales (emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment) on both frequency and intensity measures. Scores on emotional exhaustion between 18 and 2 9 (frequency) and 26 and 39 (intensity) place subjects in the moderate range of burnout on that scale. Higher scores denote the hlgh category, while lower scores typify the low category. A similar method is used to categorize individuals for depersonahzation where scores between 6 and 11 (frequency) and between 7 and 14 (intensity) place subjects in the moderate range of
526
S. NAGY & M. C. NAGY
burnout. Higher scores reflect the high category and lower scores reflect the low category. For the personal accomplishment subscale, higher scores indicate lower burnout and lower scores indicate higher burnout such that scores between 39 and 34 (frequency) and 43 and 37 (intensity) place subjects in the moderate range of burnout on that scale.
RESULTS Scores were computed for frequency and intensity measures on emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment according to specifications for the inventory. Comparison of mean scores of the subscales by year of administration showed that the largest increases on the frequency and intensity measures for both emotional exhaustion and depersonalization occurred between 1983 and 1986 (Table 1). For 1986 and 1988, the means on these two subscales remained relatively stable. There was very little change in scores on the dimension of personal accomplishment. TABLE 1
MEANRAW SCORES ON FREQUENCY AND INTENSITY OF BURNOUT SUBSCALES FOR1983, 1986, AND 1988 Burnout Subscales Frequency Emotional Exhaustion Depersonalization Personal Accomplishment Intensity Emotional Exhaustion Depersonalization Personal Accomplishment
1983
Mean Raw Scores 1986
1988
Possible Ringe
20.2 7.3 37.6
25.1 9.0 37.6
26.4 9.6 37.7
0-54 0-30 0-48
26.3 10.1 39.0
31.2 12.8 39.3
32.9 13.8 39.9
0-63 0-35 0-56
Table 2 shows the proportion of teachers scoring in the high range on the various subscales at each grade by year of administration. Teachers at all grades were experiencing some aspect of burnout. In 1983, elementary teachers reported the highest rates on intensity and frequency measures. With the exception of personal accomplishment and frequency measures of depersonalization, this pattern was repeated in 1986 and 1988. These data suggest that elementary teachers experienced the emotional exhaustion and depersonalization aspects of burnout more frequently than other teachers. Initially, the lowest rates on the various subscales were observed among junior high school teachers. However, by 1988, the proportion of these teachers falling in the high range on each of the subscales increased and approached that of elementary teachers. Slight increases among high school teachers with burnout subscale scores in the high range were also noted. By 1988, the proportion of teachers at each grade with burnout subscale scores in the high range was quite similar.
TEACHERS' BURNOUT TABLE 2
School Grade
1983 Elementary Junior High Senior High 1786 Elementary Junior High Senior High 1988 Elementary Junior High Senior High
Burnout Subscale Scores E-E*
Frequency Dep*
P-A*
E-E*
Intensity Dep*
P-A*
59 18 24
49 16 35
52 18 31
63 13 24
55 16 29
49 22 30
40 23 32
25 33 36
16 37 37
32 17 18
41 36 37
26 45 42
41 39 36
33 39 33
15 38 28
37 23 30
48 35 46
25 43 36
*E-E: Emotional Exhaustion, Dep: Depersonalization, and P-A: Personal Accomplishment.
Theoretically, burnout occurs in individuals and groups who experience high rates of fatigue in conjunction with low rates of success/accomplishment. Pearson correlation coefficients showed strong statistically significant relationshps on frequency and intensity scales among the three subscales (rs = .58 to .80) and also between emotional exhaustion and depersonalization scales (rs = .58 to .64). Based on the strength of the relationship between depersonahzation and emotional exhaustion, the depersonalization measure was dropped. Similarly, since the relationships among the frequency and intensity scales were high, only the frequency scales were used. Following this model, teachers with high emotional exhaustion and low personal accomplishment were classified as "experiencing burnout" and provided the data used in the following analyses. Using these new classification criteria, fewer teachers fell into the burnout category (Table 3). A 4% increase in over-all burnout rates occurred between 1983 (7%) and 1988 (11%). Although increases in burnout were observed among teachers at all grades, rates were consistently higher among elementary school teachers. On the average, 13% of elementary teachers were classified as showing burnout compared to 8% for junior high and 7% for senior high school teachers. Comparison of burnout rates by year and grade taught, using multiway contingency-table analysis, did not identify an interaction. However, significant main effects of grade ( p = 0.001) and year of assessment ( p = 0.002) were identified (Table 3). Elementary school teachers were experiencing higher rates of burnout than junior or senior high school teachers. Furthermore, burnout rates were significantly lower in 1983 than in 1986 or 1988.
528
S. NAGY & M. C. NAGY TABLE 3 BURNOUT* BY SCHOOL GRADEA N D School Grade
YEAR^ C
Burnout Yes
No %
n
%
n
Elementary Junior High Senior High 1986 Elementary Junior High Senior High 1988 Elementary Junior High Senior High *High emotional exhaustion and low personal accomplishment. t B ~ n o u tby gade: 2 = 13.79, p = 0.001; burnout by year: x 2 grade by year: p = ns.
=
12.42, p
=
0.002; burnout by
The effect of change in leadership on burnout by year of administration was also assessed by multiway contingency-table analysis. In 1983, all schools in the study remained intact, but in 1986, principals were changed in nine schools and in 1988 only one school had a new principal (Table 4). Changes in leadership usually accompanied increases in a school's rate of burnout but thls generally levelled off by the next assessment period. Changes in school leadership had no significant effect on the rate of burnout (p = 037). TABLE 4 PERCENTAGE,OF TEACHERS' SCORESIN BURNOUT RANGEAT EACHGRADE,NUMBEROF TEACHERS IN SCHOOL, AND CHANGE OF PRINCIPAL* BY YEAR 1983 Burnout. % Teachers n
1986 Burnout. % Teachers n
Elementary School A 4 0 13 C 5 D 20 E 4 F 10 G 20 H 0 I 13 J 0 (continued on next page) *New principal at the school.
1988 Burnout. % Teachers n
TEACHERS' BURNOUT TABLE 4 (CONT'D) PERCENTAGE OF TEACHERS' SCORES IN BURNOUT RANGEAT EACH GRADE, NUMBER OF TEACHERS IN SCHOOL, AND CHANGE OF PRINCIPAL* BY YEAR 1983
Burnout, % Teachers n K L
Total
17 16 246
24* 29* 17
17 14 234
0 12 12
13 17 248
3 12 8
35 33 68
3' ll* 7
37 36 73
5 16 11
37 37 74
22 58 38 118
7' 9 8* 8
14 64 37 115
4 10 12 9
26 59 33 118
422
11
440
Senior High School 0 A 5 B
C Total
1988 Burnout, % Teachers n
0 19 9
Total Junior High School A B
1986 Burnout, % Teachers n
5 3
All Schools
Total 7 432 *New principal at the school.
11
Conclusion Classifying burnout as a condition in which the individual experiences high emotional exhaustion in conjunction with low personal accomplishment indicated that burnout rates increased over the five-year study period and that approximately 10% of the teachers in this school district experienced burnout during this time. Elementary teachers were at greatest risk for burnout, followed by junior high then senior high school teachers. Burnout rates increased with changes in school leadership but these generally returned to prechange rates within a two-year period.
DISCUSSION As with most research on burnout among teachers, this study also had shortcomings. The major limitation was the inability to match subjects' responses across the three waves of the study. The school board agreed to allow the study to be completed only if responses could not be associated with individual teachers. This restriction placed on data collection allowed the identification of school and grade but prevented the identification of individuals. Subsequently, across time matching data of teachers who remained in the system or transferred between schools within the system, those who resigned from teaching, retired, or had died was not possible. Since the teaching staff of many schools was also quite small, the unit of analysis focused on grade rather than the individual school. Analysis indicated that approximately 10% of the junior high school and senior high school teachers and about 15% of the elementary school
530
S. NAGY
& M. C. NAGY
teachers were experiencing burnout. These estimates may be considered chronic rates of burnout since they appeared to be relatively stable over the course of the five years. These rates also do not appear to be affected by changes in administration. This apparent chronic nature of burnout tends to support Jackson, et al.'s recommendation that the individual school may be the appropriate unit of analysis when examining rates. Even within grades (Table 4), individual schools showed striking variations in burnout rates. Unfortunately, the teaching staff at many schools were small so change in burnout status of only one or two teachers resulted in large fluctuations in rates. It is difficult to judge whether factors affecting the changes in burnout status are intrinsic or extrinsic in their nature. The variations in burnout rates among elementary schools support Maslach's original hypothesis that burnout is largely a by-product of the environment. Elementary schools in this district were located in both urban and rural settings and students came from the nearby community where there was also a sense of community ownership about the school. Subsequently, parental support may have contributed to the teacher/student/school relationshp. The relationship among teacher, student, and school is somewhat different for secondary and junior high schools. In this school district, junior and senior high schools are not viewed as "owned" by the community since most students are bused in from the surrounding areas. Subsequently, there is less parental involvement. This lack of community involvement may be related to the relatively stable and lower rates of burnout among junior and senior high school teachers. Another consideration in the examination of burnout rates is students' behavior. It is commonly accepted that disruptive children promote higher burnout rates among teachers. This also places a higher burden on elementary school teachers since disruptive children often drop out of school before reaching junior and senior high school. Also, the intense needs of young children, the lack of time out, and the isolation of teachers from other adults may also play a role in burnout. Since socioeconomic status is linked with school success, this factor may also influence burnout. Researchers should consider the school as the unit of analysis. Other factors with potential effects on the classroom/school environment are the socioeconomic status of the nearby community, student drop-out rates, and attrition among teachers. Interventions directed toward burnout should not only consider the teachers' grades but also the school as the unit of analysis. Needs assessments should be conducted before interventions are implemented to identify, within grades, a school in need of interventions. Further, interventions
TEACHERS' BURNOUT
53 1
should be directed toward the factors having the greatest effects on burnout rates. If burnout rates are largely a product of high emotional exhaustion, interventions should focus on stress-management strategies such as physical fitness, nutrition, and relaxation. If burnout rates are largely a product of low personal accomplishment, administrative efforts that promote feelings of accomplishment should be emphasized. These interventions might have the greatest benefit in elementary schools. REFERENCES BABBIE,E. R. (1973) Survey research methods. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth. CAPEL, S. A. (1987) The incidence of and influences on stress and burnout in secondary school teachers. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 57, 279-288. EDELWICH, J., & BRODSKY, A. (1980) Burnout: stages of disillusionment in the helping professions. New York: Human Sciences Press. GALLERY,M. E., EISENBACH, J. J., & HOLMAN,. (1981) Burnout: a critical a praisal and proposed intervention strategies. (Unpublisl!ed manuscript, Department or Special Education, Western M ~ c h ~ g aIJniver., n Kalamazoo, MI) JACKSON,S. E., SCHWAB,K L , & SCHULER,R. S. (1986) Toward an understanding o f the burnout phenomenon. Journal of Applied Psychology, 71, 630-640. ~ ~ S L A CC.H(1983) , Burnout: the cost of caring. Englewood Cliffs, N J : Prentice-Hall. MASLACH, C., & JACKSON, S. E. (1982) Mashch Burnout Inventory, Research Edition, manual. Berkeley, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press. MEAJJ, R. 0 . (1980) A teacher's tale: why are we so miserable? American School Board Journal, 167, 37-40. NAGY,S., & DAVIS, L. G. (1985) Burnout: a comparative analysis of personality and environmental variables. Psychological Reports, 57, 1319-1326. NEEDLE,R. H., G m , T., & SVENDSEN, R. (1981) Occupational stress: coping and health problems of teachers. Journal of School Health, 51, 175-181. PINES, A,, ARONSON,E., & KAFRY,D. K. (1981) Burnout: from tedium to personal grouth. New York: Macmillan. RUSSELL.D. W., ALTMALER,E., & VAN ZELEN,D. (1987) Job related stress, social support, and burnout among classroom teachers. Journal of Applied Psychology, 72, 269-274. SOH,K (1986) Locus of control as a moderator of teacher stress in Singapore. Journal of Social Psychology, 126, 257-258. THOMPSON, C. L. (1986) A comparison of nonburned-out and burned-out teachers. (Doctoral a Univer., 1985) Dissertation Abstracts International, 47, dissertation, P e ~ s ~ l v a n iState 1313. UNDERWOOD, A. (1986) The interrelationship among organizational stress, social support, and burnout. (Doctoral dissertation, Univer. of Michigan, 1986) Dissertution Abstracts International, 105, 299-305. WEISKOPF,P. E. (1980) Burnout among teachers of exceptional children. Exceptional Children, 47. 18-23. ZABEL,R.'H., & ZABEL,M. K. (1982) Factors in burnout among teachers of exceptional children. Exceptional Children, 49, 261-263.
Accepted July 1, 1992.
LONGITUDINAL EXAMINATION O F TEACHERS' BURNOUT IN A SCHOOL DISTRICT ' STEPHEN NAGY AND M. CHRISTINE NAGY The University of Alubama Summary.-Teachers in a rural school district were administered the Maslach Burnout Inventory three times over a five-year period. Teachers scoring high on emotional exhaustion and low on personal accomplishment were classified as "experiencing burnout." Across the three waves, the proportion of teachers meeting these criteria for burnout were 7%, 11%, and 11%, respectively. By grade, burnout was noted among 3%. 8%and 9%, respectively, over time for senior high-school teachen; 7%, 7%, and l l q o for junior high-school teachers; and 9 % , 17%, and 12% for elementary school teachers. Inrerventions must consider grade taught and are probably most cost-effective for elementary school. It is important to establish norms across time and across school sertings to determine high-risk groups deserving interventions.
In recent years, "helping professions" and more specifically, teachers, have popularized the term "Burnout" as a colorful descriptor of job or work stress. The colloquial meaning of the term does not fully reflect the research definition of burnout as a "progressive loss of ideahsm, energy and purpose experienced by people in the helping professions as a result of the conditions of work" (Edelwich & Brodsky, 1980). Potential associated costs are high when teachers are absent. Subsequently, there has been an extensive search for factors associated with teachers' burnout. A review of the literature identified more than 40 variables as having significant relationships with teachers' burnout. In general, these associations can be grouped into three categories including environmental, intrapersonal, and professional factors. Within the environmental classification, factors include high studentlteacher ratios (Welskopf, 1980), perceived threats of violence to teachers (Mead, 1980), students' violence (Underwood, 1986), and disruptive children (Needle, Griffin, & Svendsen, 1981). Intrapersonal factors predisposing teachers to burnout focus on variables such as being a younger teacher (Russell, Altmaier, & Van Zelen, 1987), scoring lower on locus of control (Soh, 1986), having negative coping styles (Thompson, 1986), scoring Type A on behavioral surveys (Nagy & Davis, 1985), and being an ideahst (Pines, Aronson, & Kafry, 1981). In conjunction with the environmental and intrapersonal factors are professional influences. Professional variables associated with burnout include low administrative, supervisory, and peer support (Zabel & Zabel, 1982),
'Request reprints from Stephen Nagy, College of Education, The University of Alabama, Box 870312, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0312.
524
S. NAGY & M. C. NAGY
role ambiguity, role conflict, and role overload (Gallery, Eisenbach, & Holman, 1981). The large number of significant associations of variables with burnout contributes to confusion within the field of study. A review of the empirical research identifies some reoccurring weaknesses in design. Most studies of burnout have employed mail surveys with typical response rates between 50 and 60%. Although these return rates are generally considered acceptable in behavioral research (Babbie, 1973), the very nature of burnout implies that "burned out" teachers will be least likely to respond to such sampling procedures. These studies therefore may have a built-in selection bias. A second major weakness is the single-time analysis which has led to the premise that burnout is a relatively stable trait. Results of a study conducted in Great Britain questioned this belief. Capel (1987) collected data on burnout at the beginning of the school year and the findings indicated that teachers were not experiencing burnout. Rather than conclude that teachers were not experiencing burnout, the author observed that the burnout process was influenced by the time of year when the study was conducted, suggesting that rates vary over time. According to theory, this reasoning was in error, since burnout is considered to be a stable condition once a person has progressed to it (Maslach, 1983). Although rates should not vary dramatically during the year, few studies have examined samples repeatedly to assess whether burnout rates are cyclical, linear, or constant. Another weakness in research on burnout has been the unit of analysis. Most studies have focused on the teacher. Since environmental and professional factors are associated with burnout, the unit of analysis should focus on school districts (Jackson, Schwab, & Schuler, 1986), individual schools, or even the level of school (elementary or secondary). A final shortcoming concerns measurement. Most studies have utilized the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Typically, researchers assess the relationship among a variety of explanatory factors and scores on each subscale. This process, however, is incorrect since the burnout process or profile requires that an individual score in the high range on emotional exhaustion and depersonalization in addition to scoring in the low range on buffers (i.e., personal accomplishment) (Maslach & Jackson, 1982). Researchers have frequently reported scores on one subscale (typically high emotional exhaustion) while not assessing whether buffering factors (such as high personal accomplishment) negate the classification of the individual as "burned out." The primary purpose of this study was to examine a school district's rate of teacher burnout over a five-year span. A secondary purpose examined the relationship between the school grade (elementary, junior high, or senior high) on burnout rates and also the effect of changes in school leadership on these rates.
TEACHERS' BURNOUT
525
Subjects I n the population were 635 full-time teachers in a county school system adjacent to a major metropolitan area in Alabama. Researchers attended regularly scheduled faculty meetings at which teachers were asked to volunteer for the study. Questionnaires were distributed at the beginning of these meetings, and teachers deposited their completed forms in a collection box at the close of the meeting. Teachers were surveyed three times between 1983 and 1988. I n the initial assessment, 610 teachers participated providing a 96% response rate of all potential subjects. The second assessment involved 469 teachers with 446 completing forms for a 95% response rate. Three of the original schools did not participate in the second assessment. I n addition, 18% of the original sample who participated in the initial assessment had been replaced by teachers' moving. The final assessment included 582 teachers, with 566 providing usable data for a 97% response rate. Two of the original schools did not participate on the third occasion. At this final assessment period, 39% of the original sample had been replaced. For purposes of this study, the sample was drawn from teachers who participated in all three waves of the study. Subsequently, 12 elementary schools, two junior high schools, and three senior high schools were involved in the analysis. Although this is a repeated-measures design, data collected on individual teachers across the three assessment periods could not be matched for comparison purposes since data were identified on the basis of school to protect the confidentiality of the respondent. The analysis, therefore, treats the three assessment periods as independent samples.
Instrumentation Burnout was assessed utilizing the Maslach Burnout Inventory, a 22item scale which has responses addressing both the intensity and frequency of feeling towards each question. Cronbach's estimates of internal consistency have been reported as .80 for frequency and .79 for intensity (Maslach & Jackson, 1982). The inventory has established means and categories of low, moderate, and high have been developed for each of the three subscales (emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment) on both frequency and intensity measures. Scores on emotional exhaustion between 18 and 2 9 (frequency) and 26 and 39 (intensity) place subjects in the moderate range of burnout on that scale. Higher scores denote the hlgh category, while lower scores typify the low category. A similar method is used to categorize individuals for depersonahzation where scores between 6 and 11 (frequency) and between 7 and 14 (intensity) place subjects in the moderate range of
526
S. NAGY & M. C. NAGY
burnout. Higher scores reflect the high category and lower scores reflect the low category. For the personal accomplishment subscale, higher scores indicate lower burnout and lower scores indicate higher burnout such that scores between 39 and 34 (frequency) and 43 and 37 (intensity) place subjects in the moderate range of burnout on that scale.
RESULTS Scores were computed for frequency and intensity measures on emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment according to specifications for the inventory. Comparison of mean scores of the subscales by year of administration showed that the largest increases on the frequency and intensity measures for both emotional exhaustion and depersonalization occurred between 1983 and 1986 (Table 1). For 1986 and 1988, the means on these two subscales remained relatively stable. There was very little change in scores on the dimension of personal accomplishment. TABLE 1
MEANRAW SCORES ON FREQUENCY AND INTENSITY OF BURNOUT SUBSCALES FOR1983, 1986, AND 1988 Burnout Subscales Frequency Emotional Exhaustion Depersonalization Personal Accomplishment Intensity Emotional Exhaustion Depersonalization Personal Accomplishment
1983
Mean Raw Scores 1986
1988
Possible Ringe
20.2 7.3 37.6
25.1 9.0 37.6
26.4 9.6 37.7
0-54 0-30 0-48
26.3 10.1 39.0
31.2 12.8 39.3
32.9 13.8 39.9
0-63 0-35 0-56
Table 2 shows the proportion of teachers scoring in the high range on the various subscales at each grade by year of administration. Teachers at all grades were experiencing some aspect of burnout. In 1983, elementary teachers reported the highest rates on intensity and frequency measures. With the exception of personal accomplishment and frequency measures of depersonalization, this pattern was repeated in 1986 and 1988. These data suggest that elementary teachers experienced the emotional exhaustion and depersonalization aspects of burnout more frequently than other teachers. Initially, the lowest rates on the various subscales were observed among junior high school teachers. However, by 1988, the proportion of these teachers falling in the high range on each of the subscales increased and approached that of elementary teachers. Slight increases among high school teachers with burnout subscale scores in the high range were also noted. By 1988, the proportion of teachers at each grade with burnout subscale scores in the high range was quite similar.
TEACHERS' BURNOUT TABLE 2
School Grade
1983 Elementary Junior High Senior High 1786 Elementary Junior High Senior High 1988 Elementary Junior High Senior High
Burnout Subscale Scores E-E*
Frequency Dep*
P-A*
E-E*
Intensity Dep*
P-A*
59 18 24
49 16 35
52 18 31
63 13 24
55 16 29
49 22 30
40 23 32
25 33 36
16 37 37
32 17 18
41 36 37
26 45 42
41 39 36
33 39 33
15 38 28
37 23 30
48 35 46
25 43 36
*E-E: Emotional Exhaustion, Dep: Depersonalization, and P-A: Personal Accomplishment.
Theoretically, burnout occurs in individuals and groups who experience high rates of fatigue in conjunction with low rates of success/accomplishment. Pearson correlation coefficients showed strong statistically significant relationshps on frequency and intensity scales among the three subscales (rs = .58 to .80) and also between emotional exhaustion and depersonalization scales (rs = .58 to .64). Based on the strength of the relationship between depersonahzation and emotional exhaustion, the depersonalization measure was dropped. Similarly, since the relationships among the frequency and intensity scales were high, only the frequency scales were used. Following this model, teachers with high emotional exhaustion and low personal accomplishment were classified as "experiencing burnout" and provided the data used in the following analyses. Using these new classification criteria, fewer teachers fell into the burnout category (Table 3). A 4% increase in over-all burnout rates occurred between 1983 (7%) and 1988 (11%). Although increases in burnout were observed among teachers at all grades, rates were consistently higher among elementary school teachers. On the average, 13% of elementary teachers were classified as showing burnout compared to 8% for junior high and 7% for senior high school teachers. Comparison of burnout rates by year and grade taught, using multiway contingency-table analysis, did not identify an interaction. However, significant main effects of grade ( p = 0.001) and year of assessment ( p = 0.002) were identified (Table 3). Elementary school teachers were experiencing higher rates of burnout than junior or senior high school teachers. Furthermore, burnout rates were significantly lower in 1983 than in 1986 or 1988.
528
S. NAGY & M. C. NAGY TABLE 3 BURNOUT* BY SCHOOL GRADEA N D School Grade
YEAR^ C
Burnout Yes
No %
n
%
n
Elementary Junior High Senior High 1986 Elementary Junior High Senior High 1988 Elementary Junior High Senior High *High emotional exhaustion and low personal accomplishment. t B ~ n o u tby gade: 2 = 13.79, p = 0.001; burnout by year: x 2 grade by year: p = ns.
=
12.42, p
=
0.002; burnout by
The effect of change in leadership on burnout by year of administration was also assessed by multiway contingency-table analysis. In 1983, all schools in the study remained intact, but in 1986, principals were changed in nine schools and in 1988 only one school had a new principal (Table 4). Changes in leadership usually accompanied increases in a school's rate of burnout but thls generally levelled off by the next assessment period. Changes in school leadership had no significant effect on the rate of burnout (p = 037). TABLE 4 PERCENTAGE,OF TEACHERS' SCORESIN BURNOUT RANGEAT EACHGRADE,NUMBEROF TEACHERS IN SCHOOL, AND CHANGE OF PRINCIPAL* BY YEAR 1983 Burnout. % Teachers n
1986 Burnout. % Teachers n
Elementary School A 4 0 13 C 5 D 20 E 4 F 10 G 20 H 0 I 13 J 0 (continued on next page) *New principal at the school.
1988 Burnout. % Teachers n
TEACHERS' BURNOUT TABLE 4 (CONT'D) PERCENTAGE OF TEACHERS' SCORES IN BURNOUT RANGEAT EACH GRADE, NUMBER OF TEACHERS IN SCHOOL, AND CHANGE OF PRINCIPAL* BY YEAR 1983
Burnout, % Teachers n K L
Total
17 16 246
24* 29* 17
17 14 234
0 12 12
13 17 248
3 12 8
35 33 68
3' ll* 7
37 36 73
5 16 11
37 37 74
22 58 38 118
7' 9 8* 8
14 64 37 115
4 10 12 9
26 59 33 118
422
11
440
Senior High School 0 A 5 B
C Total
1988 Burnout, % Teachers n
0 19 9
Total Junior High School A B
1986 Burnout, % Teachers n
5 3
All Schools
Total 7 432 *New principal at the school.
11
Conclusion Classifying burnout as a condition in which the individual experiences high emotional exhaustion in conjunction with low personal accomplishment indicated that burnout rates increased over the five-year study period and that approximately 10% of the teachers in this school district experienced burnout during this time. Elementary teachers were at greatest risk for burnout, followed by junior high then senior high school teachers. Burnout rates increased with changes in school leadership but these generally returned to prechange rates within a two-year period.
DISCUSSION As with most research on burnout among teachers, this study also had shortcomings. The major limitation was the inability to match subjects' responses across the three waves of the study. The school board agreed to allow the study to be completed only if responses could not be associated with individual teachers. This restriction placed on data collection allowed the identification of school and grade but prevented the identification of individuals. Subsequently, across time matching data of teachers who remained in the system or transferred between schools within the system, those who resigned from teaching, retired, or had died was not possible. Since the teaching staff of many schools was also quite small, the unit of analysis focused on grade rather than the individual school. Analysis indicated that approximately 10% of the junior high school and senior high school teachers and about 15% of the elementary school
530
S. NAGY
& M. C. NAGY
teachers were experiencing burnout. These estimates may be considered chronic rates of burnout since they appeared to be relatively stable over the course of the five years. These rates also do not appear to be affected by changes in administration. This apparent chronic nature of burnout tends to support Jackson, et al.'s recommendation that the individual school may be the appropriate unit of analysis when examining rates. Even within grades (Table 4), individual schools showed striking variations in burnout rates. Unfortunately, the teaching staff at many schools were small so change in burnout status of only one or two teachers resulted in large fluctuations in rates. It is difficult to judge whether factors affecting the changes in burnout status are intrinsic or extrinsic in their nature. The variations in burnout rates among elementary schools support Maslach's original hypothesis that burnout is largely a by-product of the environment. Elementary schools in this district were located in both urban and rural settings and students came from the nearby community where there was also a sense of community ownership about the school. Subsequently, parental support may have contributed to the teacher/student/school relationshp. The relationship among teacher, student, and school is somewhat different for secondary and junior high schools. In this school district, junior and senior high schools are not viewed as "owned" by the community since most students are bused in from the surrounding areas. Subsequently, there is less parental involvement. This lack of community involvement may be related to the relatively stable and lower rates of burnout among junior and senior high school teachers. Another consideration in the examination of burnout rates is students' behavior. It is commonly accepted that disruptive children promote higher burnout rates among teachers. This also places a higher burden on elementary school teachers since disruptive children often drop out of school before reaching junior and senior high school. Also, the intense needs of young children, the lack of time out, and the isolation of teachers from other adults may also play a role in burnout. Since socioeconomic status is linked with school success, this factor may also influence burnout. Researchers should consider the school as the unit of analysis. Other factors with potential effects on the classroom/school environment are the socioeconomic status of the nearby community, student drop-out rates, and attrition among teachers. Interventions directed toward burnout should not only consider the teachers' grades but also the school as the unit of analysis. Needs assessments should be conducted before interventions are implemented to identify, within grades, a school in need of interventions. Further, interventions
TEACHERS' BURNOUT
53 1
should be directed toward the factors having the greatest effects on burnout rates. If burnout rates are largely a product of high emotional exhaustion, interventions should focus on stress-management strategies such as physical fitness, nutrition, and relaxation. If burnout rates are largely a product of low personal accomplishment, administrative efforts that promote feelings of accomplishment should be emphasized. These interventions might have the greatest benefit in elementary schools. REFERENCES BABBIE,E. R. (1973) Survey research methods. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth. CAPEL, S. A. (1987) The incidence of and influences on stress and burnout in secondary school teachers. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 57, 279-288. EDELWICH, J., & BRODSKY, A. (1980) Burnout: stages of disillusionment in the helping professions. New York: Human Sciences Press. GALLERY,M. E., EISENBACH, J. J., & HOLMAN,. (1981) Burnout: a critical a praisal and proposed intervention strategies. (Unpublisl!ed manuscript, Department or Special Education, Western M ~ c h ~ g aIJniver., n Kalamazoo, MI) JACKSON,S. E., SCHWAB,K L , & SCHULER,R. S. (1986) Toward an understanding o f the burnout phenomenon. Journal of Applied Psychology, 71, 630-640. ~ ~ S L A CC.H(1983) , Burnout: the cost of caring. Englewood Cliffs, N J : Prentice-Hall. MASLACH, C., & JACKSON, S. E. (1982) Mashch Burnout Inventory, Research Edition, manual. Berkeley, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press. MEAJJ, R. 0 . (1980) A teacher's tale: why are we so miserable? American School Board Journal, 167, 37-40. NAGY,S., & DAVIS, L. G. (1985) Burnout: a comparative analysis of personality and environmental variables. Psychological Reports, 57, 1319-1326. NEEDLE,R. H., G m , T., & SVENDSEN, R. (1981) Occupational stress: coping and health problems of teachers. Journal of School Health, 51, 175-181. PINES, A,, ARONSON,E., & KAFRY,D. K. (1981) Burnout: from tedium to personal grouth. New York: Macmillan. RUSSELL.D. W., ALTMALER,E., & VAN ZELEN,D. (1987) Job related stress, social support, and burnout among classroom teachers. Journal of Applied Psychology, 72, 269-274. SOH,K (1986) Locus of control as a moderator of teacher stress in Singapore. Journal of Social Psychology, 126, 257-258. THOMPSON, C. L. (1986) A comparison of nonburned-out and burned-out teachers. (Doctoral a Univer., 1985) Dissertation Abstracts International, 47, dissertation, P e ~ s ~ l v a n iState 1313. UNDERWOOD, A. (1986) The interrelationship among organizational stress, social support, and burnout. (Doctoral dissertation, Univer. of Michigan, 1986) Dissertution Abstracts International, 105, 299-305. WEISKOPF,P. E. (1980) Burnout among teachers of exceptional children. Exceptional Children, 47. 18-23. ZABEL,R.'H., & ZABEL,M. K. (1982) Factors in burnout among teachers of exceptional children. Exceptional Children, 49, 261-263.
Accepted July 1, 1992.
