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Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences 9 (2010) 975980

WCLTA 2010

Analysis of burnout levels of teacher

Glen Baran, Mdriye Yldz Bak, Funda nci, Merve ngr, Ayegl Ceran, Glin Atar
*Ankara University, Health Sciences Faculty, Child Development Department, Akta Kava, Ankara, 06130, Turkey

Abstract This study aims to identify the burnout levels of teachers working in preschool, elementary school and private education institutions and to review if a significant difference is produced by miscellaneous variables in their burnout levels. The study has been conducted on a total of 228 teachers working in preschool, elementary school and private education institutions at medium socio-economical level in the province of Ankara. General Information Form has been used to gather information on teachers themselves while Maslach Burnout Inventory developed by Maslach and Jackson (1981). The study concluded that the field of work, financial opportunities, sufficiency of personnel in terms of quantity and quality have an impact on the burnout levels of teachers while its further identified that civil status, physical conditions at school, variety and adequacy of educational materials also impact the burnout levels of teachers.
Keywords: Burnout, preschool, elementary education, private education, teacher.

1. Introduction Burnout is usually defined as tiredness, dullness, demoralization, dissatisfaction, incapability, aging, insensitiveness, decrease in occupational motivation and joy of living which is experienced personally because of the occupational conditions requiring face to face contact and expecting high performance from the employee (Gndz, 2004). Burnout that is a syndrome affecting physical, academic and social performance in teaching as in other occupations is a process emerged through giving appropriate or inappropriate reactions under the stressful conditions (Sears et.al. 2000). Burnout causing aggressiveness, decline in performance, quality and the competence in the work does not just affect the person who is exhausted, but also other people who interact with him/her. Especially the performance of the teachers who are responsible with the education of the people in society is affected negatively. Decline in performance in teaching brings decline in teachers concerning about students, administrators, parents and her/his job; and also causes leaving negative impressions on the people contacted with (Schwab et.al. 1985). Although many studies on teacher burnout conducted abroad, in Turkey the topic has been studied since 1990s. Miscellaneous demographic, occupational and psychological variables were taken into consideration during the studies on burnout of a wide variety of educators including academicians (Baysal 1994; Murat, 2000), high school teachers (Baysal 1995; Dursun 2000), primary school teachers (Girgin 1995; Sucuolu and Kulolu, 1996; Tmkaya 2000; Murat 2000; Gneri ve zdemir 2003), and pre-school teachers (Turul ve elik, 2002). Such kind of studies have revealed that gender (anl, 2006; Tmkaya ve Trker, 2010), age, total years spent in employment, motivations of teaching, educational system (Dolunay, 2002), willingness to work (Dolunay, 2002; Krlmaz et al. 2003), being appreciated and supported in job (Girgin ve Baysal, 2005), having deserved degree in job (Kr lmaz et al. 2003), university of graduation, getting social support (Gndz, 2005; Oru, 2007), number of the children in classes, quality of the educational institution (Turul ve elik, 2002), marital status (Akman,
1877-0428 2010 Published by Elsevier Ltd. doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2010.12.270

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2010) and personal qualities of the teacher (Lunenburg ve Cadavid 1992) have effects on burnout level of educators. Teachers who experience burnout because of such kind of factors become reluctant to do daily activities and teach (Yldrm 2007). In order to support teachers and create solutions, it is significant to determine the factors effective on the level of burnout of teachers who teach diverse groups of students. Following this, current study has conducted in order to determine the burnout level of teachers who are in a critical position in society, to offer suggestions through determining the factors effective on burnout level. 2. Method 2.1. Study Model This research was planned as a descriptive survey study. 2.2. Participants Research sample is composed of 228 teachers -who have been teaching more than one year and voluntarily participated the research- with 72 of them are from special education institutions, 76 of them are from preschools, and 80 of them are from primary schools, all locating in Ankara. 2.2.3Tools of Data Collection In order to collect information about teachers General Information Form and in order to determine teachers level of burnout Maslack Burnout Invantery (MBI) were used. 2.2.3.1. General Information Form Designed by researchers in order to collect data about primary school, special education and pre-school teachers. 2.2.3.2. Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) This inventory was designed by Maslach and Jackson (1981). Inventory approaches burnout through three sub-dimensions: emotional burnout, depersonalization and personal accomplishment. Dimension of emotional burnout defines emotions of being exhausted by the work. Depersonalization defines the condition of being insensible towards people getting service and inappropriate behavior towards others regardless of their personal differences. Dimension of personal accomplishment defines emotions about the ability of coping with the problems related with accomplishment and performance (Maslach and Jackson 1986). High score in emotional burnout and depersonalization dimensions, low score in personal accomplishment dimensions mean burnout. Girgin and Baysal (1995) adopted it for use in Turkey, and reliability coefficient ranges between 0.63 and 0.87.
2.4. Data Analysis

One-Way Anova test was used to identify their burnout levels with respect to variables (Green, Salkind and Akey 1997, Bykztrk, 2003). 3.Findings This research with the sample of which % 86.6 are female and % 13.2 are male aims to determine the level of burnout of teachers and factors influencing burnout level and to offer suggestions . Summary conclusions of the research are given in the table below.

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Table 1. Summary Table of Burnout Level of Teachers with respect to Some Variables VARIABLES Emotional Burnout LEVEL OF BURNOUT Depersonalization

977

Fields of Teaching

Satisfaction with the conditions of the institution

Satisfaction with opportunities

the

financial

Satisfaction with variety and adequacy of educational materials in the institution

Satisfaction with the quality and quantity of the personel in the institution

Special education (N:72) Preschool education (N:76) Primary education (N:80) Yes, I am satisfied with (N:151) I am undecided (N:49) No, I am not satisfied with (N:28) Yes, I am satisfied with (N:61) I am undecided (N:53) No, I am not satisfied with (N:144) Yes, I am satisfied with (N:110) I am undecided (N:54) No, I am not satisfied with (N:64) Yes, I am satisfied with(N:101) I am undecided(N:57) No, I am not satisfied with(N:70)

11.99 12.28 14.10 12.48 12.73 14.86 11.57 11.77 13.98 12.55 12.69 13.42 11.40 13.25

S 5.74 7.44 5.58 6.63 5.01 6.74 6.39 6.40 6.15 6.68 5.86 6.23 6.54

p 080

2.99 4.56 3.09

S 2.85 5.94 2.84 3.38 5.64 4.90 5.31 2.67 4.05 4.94 3.77 2.95 3.10 5.15 4.55

p .035

24.18 21.57 23.55

Personal Accomplishment S p 3.20 6.19 4.03 4.10 6.35 4.87 5.35 3.54 4.95 5.46 23.04 4.40 3.72 4.24 4.86 22.26 5.34 .186 .737 .532 .192 .002

.190

3.12 4.33 4.46

.098

23.50 22.22 22.39

.022*

4.30 3.09 3.35

.244

22.56 23.55 23.16

.671

3.74 3.31 3.41

.791

23.32 23.04 4.40 22.73

.005

2.86 3.75

.064

23.61 23.18 22.26 5.34

5.74 14.54 6.14 4.36

It was determined that teachers fields of teaching causes significant differences in the depersonalization (F(23.399, p< .05) and personal accomplishment (F(2-227)= 6.425, p< .01) dimensions of burnout, but it does not have an impact on the emotional burnout dimension (F(2-227)= 2.559, p> .05). According to the results of the Scheffe test conducted, scores of the teachers working in the pre-schools caused a significant difference in both depersonalization and personal accomplishment dimensions. While pre-school teachers have the highest scores in the depersonalization dimension, they have the lowest score in the personal accomplishment dimension. Satisfaction with the variety and sufficiency of the physical conditions of the educational institution does not cause a significant difference according to the burnout level of teachers (p> .05). While Teachers satisfaction with financial opportunities has significant effect on the difference according to the emotional burnout dimension of burnout (F(2-227)= 3.902, p< .05), it does not cause any significant difference according to the other dimensions (p> .05). According to the Scheffe test results, scores of the teachers whose statement is yes, I am satisfied with caused significant difference. The highest score in the emotional burnout dimension belongs to the teachers whose statement is No, I am not satisfied with. Satisfaction with the variety and adequacy of educational materials belonging to the educational institution does not cause a significant difference according to the burnout level of teachers (p> .05).
227)=

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Satisfaction with the sufficiency of the personnel in terms of quality and quantity causes significant difference between the scores obtained from emotional burnout level (F(2-227)= 5.450, p< .01), on the other hand it does not cause any significant difference according to the other dimensions of the burnout (p> .05). According to the results of the Scheffe test results, the scores of the teachers whose answer to the question about their satisfaction with the quality and quantity of the personnel is Yes, I am satisfied with caused significant difference in the emotional burnout level. The lowest score in the emotional burnout dimension belongs to the teachers whose answer to the question about their satisfaction with the quality and quantity of the personnel is Yes, I am satisfied with. In addition to these, it is striking that teachers score is low according to the sub-dimensions of the burnout scale. 4. Discussion Burnout is observed among the people whose jobs require direct service and aim to help people, like medical doctor, police and teachers. It has physical and emotional results and burnout, tiredness, desperateness, dissatisfaction, weakness, aging, insensitivity, decline in the motivation, tediousness, decline in the joy of life are the symptoms of the burnout (Kulakszolu et al., 2003). Since burnout is frequently observed among teachers and have negative effects on people, in this paper, it was intended to determine the level of burnout of teachers, to reveal the factors effective on burnout level and also to present relevant suggestions. On the other hand, when the fields of teachers are considered, it is remarkable that depersonalization and personal accomplishment scores of the pre-school teachers are lower. This can be explained with that teachers feel psychological pressure on themselves because of the increasing importance of pre-school education. In Turkey, pre-school education issue has been elaborated deeply recent years. However, material and personnel supply is needed. Such kind of lacks may have negative influences on depersonalization and personal accomplishment dimensions of burnout of teachers who make a great effort. Considering the teachers participating in the study, teachers expectations from the institutions that they work for varies from person to person. Physical conditions of the school, quality and variety of materials supplied are effective on the performance level of teachers. Insufficient conditions increases burnout level. Yet, this work reveals that satisfaction of teachers from physical conditions of school and sufficiency and variety of materials are not determinative in the sub dimensions of burnout. This situation can be explained in the way that teachers might produce the materials themselves or use the available materials out of main purpose. In addition, it was determined that satisfaction with financial opportunities and the quality and quantity of the personnel is effective on the emotional burnout dimension of burnout. Teachers whose answer to the question about financial opportunities and quantity and quality of personnel is No, I am not satisfied with have high score in the emotional burnout level. It might be argued that insufficiency of financial opportunities, not getting deserved degree in the job and not being able to demand enhancement in wages give rise to high level of emotional burnout. In their study, Girgin and Baysal (2005) indicated that teachers perception of socio-economic level is influential on the emotional burnout of teachers. Being obliged to undertake responsibilities other than the major responsibility might be proposed as the reason of that ideas of teachers about the quantity and quality of personnel is just influential on the emotional burnout level. On the other hand, Turul and elik (2002) put that quality of the institution is not effective on emotional burnout level. Kulakszolu et.al. (2003) emphasized that problems with the administration of the institution has effects on the emotional burnout level of teachers. Job and situation of job effect on burnout. Bevis (2008) indicated that there is positive correlation between teacher burnout and job satisfaction. Htinen et al. (2004) showed that job conditions may effect burnout. 5. Results and Suggestions When the results of the research is considered, it is concluded that scores that teachers got from the variables of financial opportunities of teachers and quantity and quality of personnel in institution caused a significant

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difference in emotional burnout dimension of burnout. It was deduced that teachers fields of work is effective on both depersonalization and personal accomplishment dimensions. Researches about the burnout issue should continue to be conducted and changes in the burnout level with the time should be followed. According to the results, relevant precautions should be taken; introductory and informational seminars should be held. Through guiding and counseling services, consciousness in the occupational choice should be increased. Teachers should be encouraged and supported for personal development and career expectations. Activities increasing the motivation and affinity to the job should be carried out; teachers should make maximum effort to participate in these activities. Administrators and institutions that are in relation with pre-schools should seek the ways of annihilating or minimizing the effects of teachers burnout; in order to increase the effectiveness of teachers in teaching various arrangements and attempts of enhancement should be held. A rich environment should be created in terms of institutions physical condition, usage of equipments and should be acted responsibly in this way. References
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