Abstract:

Context:
Burnout seems to be more specific to professions characterized by a high level of social interaction, such as teaching, education and health. In these environments, the phenomenon is considered a real epidemic to be contained. While much research has focused on the health of teachers, data on the health of special education teachers are scarce and report alarming levels of burnout. In view of this lack of data, the objective of the research is twofold. The first part, theoretical, answers two main research questions with a systematic literature review (N=121 studies): i. are organizational factors more related to burnout than interpersonal or individual factors ? What are the links between the perceived workload and the three dimensions of burnout (emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, lack of personal achievement)? The second part, empirical, tests the hypothesis that the perceived workload influences the health of special education teachers.

Method:
Occupational health was measured using the Maslach Burnout Inventory, a self-reported questionnaire validated in French. The sample consists of swiss special education teachers (N=326).

Results:
Special education teachers have average burnout scores in the correct area for emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, but in the zone at risk for personal achievement. The results of the analyses of variance show a significant effect of perceived workload on emotional exhaustion. Post-hoc tests reveal that people who feel overloaded are more emotionally exhausted than those who feel they are not exhausted. However, the results do not show significant differences in professional achievement and depersonalization.

Conclusion:
The health at work of special education teachers varies according to the resources available. Having them at both the organizational and interpersonal levels influences the perceived occupational health of specialized teachers, specifically the emotional exhaustion dimension.

References:
[1] Fernet, C., Austin, S., Trépanier, S.-G., & Dussault, M. (2013). How do job characteristics contribute to burnout? Exploring the distinct mediating roles of perceived autonomy, competence, and relatedness. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 22(2), 123–137. doi.org/10.1080/1359432X.2011.632161
[2] Grayson, J. L., & Alvarez, H. K. (2008). School climate factors relating to teacher burnout: A mediator model. Teaching and Teacher Education, 24(5), 1349–1363. doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2007.06.005
[3] Squillaci, M. (2020). Are Teachers More Affected by Burnout than Physicians, Nurses and Other Professionals? A Systematic Review of the Literature. In: Lightner N., Kalra J. (eds) Advances in Human Factors and Ergonomics in Healthcare and Medical Devices. AHFE 2019. Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing, vol 957. Springer, Cham. doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-20451-8_14

Keywords:

Burnout, workload, systematic review, risk factors, special education teachers, Maslach Burnout Inventory.