A Meta-analysis of the Impact of Social and Emotional Learning Interventions on Teachers’ Burnout Symptoms

The influence of existence-relatedness-growth need satisfaction and job burnout of young university teachers: the mediating role of job satisfaction

Job burnout among young university teachers is a serious issue that can have negative consequences for their well-being and job performance, as well as students' learning outcomes. To identify protective factors for job burnout, this study examined the impacts and mechanism of satisfying existence, relatedness, and growth need on job burnout among 968 young university teachers, using the ERG needs theory framework. The results of the regression analysis and mediation analysis showed that ERG needs satisfaction significantly and negatively predicted job burnout, and job satisfaction mediated this relationship. Besides, the total effect of existence need satisfaction on job burnout was significantly smaller than that of relatedness need satisfaction and growth need satisfaction. These findings contribute to our understanding of the antecedents of young university teachers' job burnout and provide a theoretical basis for practical action to protect them from burnout by enhancing their need satisfaction and job satisfaction.

Teachers at risk: Depressive symptoms, emotional intelligence, and burnout during COVID-19

Background

Previous studies indicated that depressive symptoms are common among teachers due to job stress and difficulty in managing emotions. The aim of this research was to determine the levels of depressive symptomatology in a sample of secondary school teachers who worked during the COVID-19 pandemic and to analyze the relationships with their levels of burnout and emotional intelligence.

Methods

The study involved 430 secondary school teachers residing in Madrid (Spain) who worked during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants' age was between 25 and 60 (M = 41.40; SD = 11.07) and the gender distribution was 53.72% men and 46.28% women. We used the Spanish version of the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), the Maslach Burnout Inventory Educators Survey (MBI-ES) and the Trait Meta-Mood Scale (TMMS-24).

Results

The main results indicated that teachers presented high means of depressive symptomatology, with women obtaining higher scores than men. Significant relationships were also observed between the levels of depressive symptomatology and the dimensions of burnout and emotional intelligence. Finally, the three dimensions of emotional intelligence would contribute to the depressive symptomatology of teachers, while of the burnout dimensions only Emotional Exhaustion would make a contribution.

Conclusion

The possible consequences of depressive symptomatology in teachers during the pandemic are discussed, as well as the need to enhance protective factors such as emotional intelligence and to study burnout levels.

Intervention Programs Targeting the Mental Health, Professional Burnout, and/or Wellbeing of School Teachers: Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses

This paper outlines a systematic review and meta-analyses to identify, describe, and evaluate randomised and non-randomised controlled trials of psychological programs targeting the mental health, professional burnout, and/or wellbeing of school classroom teachers. Eighty-eight unique studies were identified for inclusion in the review, and of those 46 were included in the meta-analyses (23 randomised controlled trials). In randomised controlled trials, the programs examined had large effects on stress (g=0.93), and moderate effects on anxiety (g=0.65), depression (g=0.51), professional burnout (g=0.57), and wellbeing (g=0.56) at post. In non-randomised controlled trials, programs had moderate effects on stress (g=0.50), and small effects on anxiety (g=0.38) and wellbeing (g=0.38) at post. Studies were heterogeneous in design and methodological quality was generally poor, particularly in non-randomised controlled trials. There was an inadequate number of comparisons to perform sub-group analyses, meta-regression, or publication bias analyses. Most of the programs examined required significant time, effort, and resources to deliver and complete. These programs may not translate well outside of research trials to real-world contexts due to teachers being time-poor. Priorities for research include using methodologically rigorous designs, developing programs for teachers with teachers (i.e. co-design), and considering implementation factors to ensure feasibility, acceptability, and uptake. Systematic Review Registration Number: PROPSERO - CRD42020159805.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10648-023-09720-w.

Job demands-resources model and burnout in physical education teaching: A mixed-method sequential explanatory study

BACKGROUND

While literature includes a number of studies about burnout in teaching, investigations on teaching field-specific perspective remain limited. Research is needed to improve practical implications based on structured theoretical models and methodological basis that focusses on the unique environment of PE teaching field and causal factors behind burnout.

OBJECTIVE

The present study aimed to examine burnout among physical education (PE) teachers based on the job demands-resources (J-DR) model.

METHODS

A sequential explanatory mixed design was conducted in the study. 173 teachers replied to questionnaires, of which 14 teachers thereafter participated in semi-structured interviews. Demographic information form, Maslach Burnout Inventory, and J-DR scale for PE teachers were used, as well as an interview form. 173 teachers were first asked to report demographic information, and score Maslach Burnout Inventory and J-DR scale. Then a subsample group (n = 14) was identified/sampled for a semi-structured interview. Canonical correlation and constant comparative analysis were used to unpack the data.

RESULTS

Teachers' states of burnout varied, and physical, organisational, and socio-cultural resources were closely related with burnout levels. Demands that cause pressure on burnout were determined as paperwork and bureaucracy, student-related factors, and pandemic-related experiences. In addition to supporting the general model, specific J-DR factors for PE teaching were observed that is linked with burnout.

CONCLUSION

J-DR factors that might lead to negative conditions in the teaching environment should be considered, and field-specific factors should be focused on through arrangements to increase teaching efficiency and improve the quality of PE teachers' professional life.

Teacher burnout and turnover intention in higher education: The mediating role of job satisfaction and the moderating role of proactive personality

Introduction

Teacher burnout and frequent turnover negatively affect stability and productivity in the context of higher education. Despite the fact that the relationship between burnout and turnover intention has been thoroughly studied, the role of other factors in this relationship should be evaluated in order to better clarify underlying mechanisms, particularly in the context of higher education.

Methods

In this study, we first aim to bridge a research gap by utilizing job satisfaction as a mediating variable for the relationship between burnout and turnover intention. Moreover, we uniquely evaluate the role of proactive personality as a moderating variable, first in terms of the relationship between burnout and job satisfaction, and then for the relationship between job satisfaction and turnover intention. Based on 296 valid questionnaires collected from university faculty members in China, proposed hypotheses were evaluated empirically.

Results

The results demonstrate that, as expected, burnout has a significant and positive impact on turnover intention, and job satisfaction has significantly negative impact on turnover intention, with job satisfaction partially mediating the relationship between burnout and turnover intention. Moreover, proactive personality moderated the relationship between job satisfaction and turnover intention, with this relationship being stronger for individuals with high proactive personality as compared to low proactive personality.

Discussion

These findings provide a better understanding of the relationship between burnout and turnover intention of university instructors. Theoretical and practical implications, limitations, and recommendations for further research are provided.

Group Segmentation as a Strategy for Implementing the Intervention Programme in Emotional Education for Infant and Primary Teachers

Emotional intelligence is a key social skill for teachers. The teaching profession requires programmes that are geared towards emotional education that will enable teachers to develop emotional intelligence in order to foster their general well-being. The aims of this paper were: firstly, to test the effectiveness of the programme in emotional education implemented through group segmentation based on teachers' sociodemographic and work profile factors, and secondly, to ascertain whether there were any significant differences in the factors that make up the model of emotional intelligence with regard to the sociodemographic and work variables of teachers in the experimental group in a pre-post analysis study. The design of the research was experimental. The sample was made up of 351 infant and primary education teachers, 190 in the experimental group and 161 in the control group. We used the Trait Meta-Mood Scale-24 together with a questionnaire to define teachers' sociodemographic and work profiles. Implementing the emotional education programme led to significant differences in the three factors of emotional intelligence (perception, understanding and emotional regulation) depending on the sociodemographic and work profile of the teachers in the experimental group. Applying segmentation allows us to conclude that intervention programmes should be adapted to the sociodemographic and work profile of the participant group. When designing programmes, the method considered should be active, participative, flexible and focused on the teachers' own experience.

Effects of the A+ intervention on elementary-school teachers' social and emotional competence and occupational health

Teaching is, to date, one of the most prone jobs to experiencing occupational stress and burnout. Owing to burnout's negative personal, social, organizational and economic impacts, researchers, practitioners and education policy leaders are interested in developing practices and interventions aimed at preventing/reducing its prevalence. With teachers' main professional demands to be of a social and emotional nature, interventions designed with a view to promote teachers' social and emotional competence appears to be particularly promising, positively impacting teachers' well-being and personal accomplishment and contributing to a decrease in their psychological distress, namely emotional exhaustion. However, theoretical and empirically grounded interventions with ecological validity and specifically targeting teachers are still scarce. Thus, to bridge the previously identified gaps, the present study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and the quality of the intervention's implementation of the A+, an online social and emotional learning intervention for elementary-school teachers. A quasi-experimental study was conducted with a total of 81 participants (96.3% female, MAge = 46.21, SDAge  = 4.82, n = 42 assigned to the experimental group) from three different school contexts. School clusters were similar in size, organizational structure and socioeconomic level, and as regards previous attendance at social and emotional learning interventions; however, they differed with regards to perceived organizational climate. Data on the efficacy of the A+ was collected across four waves using a set of self-report questionnaires that assessed proximal variables (i.e., social and emotional skills) and distal variables (e.g., well-being, burnout symptoms), and analyzed through Robust Linear Mixed-Effects Models. Coefficient omegas suggested adequate reliability of the measures. Additionally, two trained observers completed an observation grid to evaluate the quality of the A+ implementation (e.g., participant responsiveness, fidelity), with excellent inter-rater reliability. Results suggested that, over time, the A+ had positive impacts across proximal (e.g., increased self-regulation, positive relationship, conflict management skills) and distal variables (e.g., increased emotional well-being, decreased occupational stress and emotional exhaustion symptoms) favoring the experimental group. However, results differed across the school contexts. These findings were accompanied by good implementation quality indicators, namely high fidelity in the delivery of the A+ contents and high participants' responsiveness. Despite its limitations, this study contributes to a growing body of research which reinforces the importance of investing in social and emotional learning interventions to prevent teachers' burnout and improve their occupational health. Furthermore, it highlights the importance of implementation quality research as a component of program planning with a view to enhancing programs' efficacy, as well as the need to adapt and consider context variables in research and practice.

Development of the Social and Emotional Competence Assessment Battery for Adults

Literature has emphasized the urgency of investing in the promotion of Social and Emotional Competence (SEC) in adults. Therefore, the development of a theoretically grounded and developmentally adjusted measure that adequately assesses SEC in its different domains is needed. This study aimed to develop a self-report battery for the assessment of adults' SEC. Factor structure, reliability, and validity of the Social and Emotional Competence Assessment Battery for Adults (SECAB-A) were assessed. Seven-hundred and ninety-six adults (80.7% female) completed the SECAB-A. A subsample of 63 elementary school teachers (92.1% female) participated at two points in time and also completed external measures assessing affect, emotion regulation, and burnout symptoms, thus making it possible to test for test-retest reliability and convergent and discriminant validities. Despite sample size variation, no statistically significant differences between groups were found for the SECAB-A scales. Extraction of factors and confirmatory factor analysis supported the hypothesized factorial structures. Coefficient omegas suggested adequate internal consistency and scores were highly correlated between the two data collection waves, also ensuring adequate test-retest reliability. There was also evidence of the SECAB-A's convergent and discriminant validities against the external measures. Results from this study indicate that the SECAB-A is a promising measure for the adult population. Nevertheless, additional criterion-related and construct validity research is needed.

Elementary school climate through teachers' eyes: Portuguese adaptation of the Organizational Climate Description Questionnaire Revised for Elementary schools

Strong links have been observed between professionals' occupational health and their perceived organizational climate. However, in Portugal, one of the European Union countries where teachers present higher levels of occupational stress, no measures have been found to assess perceived school climate in elementary-school teachers. This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric qualities of the Portuguese adaptation of the Organizational Climate Description Questionnaire Revised for Elementary Schools (OCDQ-RE). To test its factor structure, 687 elementary-school teachers (85.2% female, M Age = 46.15 years, SD Age = 8.88) completed the Portuguese OCDQ-RE. An additional sample of 81 participants (96.3% female, M Age = 46.21 years, SD Age = 4.82) responded at two points in time and completed external measures, ensuring test-retest reliability and validity analyses. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the hypothesized factor structure. Coefficient omegas suggested adequate internal consistency of the composites. Adequate test-retest reliability was sustained through high correlation scores between the two data collection waves. Evidence of discriminant validity against external measures was also observed. Despite the need for further studies, the results support the adequacy and reliability of the Portuguese OCDQ-RE which may be an important research and intervention resource.

Teacher Trainees’ Well-Being—The Role of Personal Resources

Teacher well-being is intrinsically associated with their personal resources, including health literacy and occupational self-regulation. However, there are few empirical findings on teacher trainees’ health literacy. Furthermore, occupational self-regulation has so far only been associated with indicators of occupational well-being. From a public health perspective, research on teacher trainees’ general well-being will benefit from taking both research aspects into account. In this study, we analysed data from 407 teacher trainees in Germany. Latent profile analysis confirmed the four occupational self-regulatory types (healthy-ambitious, unambitious, excessively ambitious, and resigned), which differed significantly on the health literacy dimensions self-regulation, self-control, self-perception, proactive approach to health, communication and cooperation, and dealing with health information. The health literacy dimensions of self-regulation and self-control were mainly related to occupational self-regulation. Independently of each other, the self-regulatory types and the health literacy dimensions of self-regulation, self-control, and proactive approach to health predicted teacher trainees’ general well-being. If both constructs are considered together, the health literacy dimensions explain more variance in teacher trainees’ general well-being than the self-regulatory types. Research and practical implications are discussed.

Wellbeing in Secondary Education (WISE) Study to Improve the Mental Health and Wellbeing of Teachers: A Complex System Approach to Understanding Intervention Acceptability

Teaching staff report poorer mental health and wellbeing than the general working population. Intervention to address this issue is imperative, as poor wellbeing is associated with burnout, presenteeism, and adverse student mental health outcomes. The Wellbeing in Secondary Education (WISE) intervention is a secondary school-based programme aimed at improving the mental health and wellbeing of teachers and students. There are three components: awareness-raising for staff; a peer support service delivered by staff trained in Mental Health First Aid (MHFA); and Schools and Colleges Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training for teachers. A cluster randomised controlled trial with integrated process and economic evaluation was conducted with 25 secondary schools in the UK (2016-2018). The intervention was largely ineffective in improving teacher mental health and wellbeing. This paper reports process evaluation data on acceptability to help understand this outcome. It adopts a complex systems perspective, exploring how acceptability is a dynamic and contextually contingent concept. Data sources were as follows: interviews with funders (n = 3); interviews with MHFA trainers (n = 6); focus groups with peer supporters (n = 8); interviews with headteachers (n = 12); and focus groups with teachers trained in Schools and Colleges MHFA (n = 7). Results indicated that WISE intervention components were largely acceptable. Initially, the school system was responsive, as it had reached a 'tipping point' and was prepared to address teacher mental health. However, as the intervention interacted with the complexities of the school context, acceptability became more ambiguous. The intervention was seen to be largely inadequate in addressing the structural determinants of teacher mental health and wellbeing (e.g. complex student and staff needs, workload, and system culture). Future teacher mental health interventions need to focus on coupling skills training and support with whole school elements that tackle the systemic drivers of the problem.

How Presenteeism Shaped Teacher Burnout in Cyberbullying Among Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The pandemic caused by SARS-CoV2 has had an impact on the education sector, and its stakeholders, such as teachers who had to do remote work from their home, despite many constraints. These professionals tried to perform their teaching functions, despite having to deal with adverse situations, such as cyberbullying among their students, as well as their difficulties related to presenteeism and burnout. In this context, this study aimed to understand whether observing cyberbullying among students can be associated with teachers’ productivity loss due to presenteeism and burnout. This study also proposed to examine the role of productivity loss due to presenteeism in the relationship between observing cyberbullying situations among students and teacher burnout. A random sample of 1,044 (Mage=51.05, SD=7.35; 76.6% female) middle school and high school teachers answered an inventory about their experience working at home during the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically with regards to cyberbullying incidents they observed among their students, their productivity loss due to presenteeism, and their burnout levels. Results from structural equation modeling revealed that observing students engaging in cyberbullying situations was positively associated with productivity loss due to presenteeism and teacher burnout. Also, teacher’s productivity loss due to presenteeism mediated the relationship between observing cyberbullying incidents among their students and their burnout levels. Specifically, the effect of productivity loss due to presenteeism explained the effect of observing cyberbullying incidents on teachers’ burnout levels. These results are innovative and shed light on the importance of teacher wellbeing at their job in the midst of a pandemic, namely, when they observe their students engaging in hostile situations, which may lead them to greater levels of burnout.

Exploring the Relationships between Resilience and Turnover Intention in Chinese High School Teachers: Considering the Moderating Role of Job Burnout

BACKGROUND

With the outbreak and spread of the COVID-19 epidemic, online teaching time has been extended continuously. The changes in teaching methods, teaching conditions, and teaching environment have brought great pressure and difficulties in adjustment to teachers, which have led to a series of physical and mental problems such as negativity, lack of confidence, and depression. The long-term accumulation of these problems makes teachers' turnover intention increasingly serious.

METHODS

Based on these premises, this study took 449 high school teachers in China as research objects and investigated the relationship between high school teachers' resilience, job burnout, and turnover intention in the context of the COVID-19 epidemic.

RESULTS

The resilience of high school teachers had a significant negative predictive effect on job burnout and turnover intention (r = -0.473, p < 0.05; r = -0.283, p < 0.05), while job burnout had a significant positive predictive effect on turnover intention (r = 0.485, p < 0.05). At the same time, job burnout played a moderating role between resilience and turnover intention (λ = -0.019, p < 0.001).

DISCUSSION

This study suggests that society, schools, families, and individuals should adopt various strategies to improve teachers' adaptability and relieve teachers' job burnout, so as to solve the practical problem of teachers' high turnover intention and ensure continuous improvement and healthy development of online teaching.