Coping strategies and burnout: a survey of secondary school teachers

Background. In a scholastic environment the educational relationship often exposes teachers to the dangers of burnout. Burnout is a defensive response to conditions of chronic or extreme stress. Various descriptive models of work-related stress indicate the relationship between the condition of stress and the adequacy of coping strategies used by workers. Recent studies indicate that the connection between defensive strategies and two types of burnout (depersonalization and reduced personal accomplishment) is stronger in secondary school teachers than in primary school teachers. Objectives. This study aims to explore the incidence of burnout among teachers in secondary schools and describes the psycho-social sources of stress and burnout, as well as the coping strategies of teachers, taking into account the education level in Italian schools (middle school students ages 11 to 13 and high school students ages 14 to 19). A further objective of this study is to identify those principal coping strategies that can best predict the occurrence of burnout. Method. 250 secondary school teachers completed the Maslach Burnout Inventory, the Ways of Coping Questionnaire (Folkman & Lazarus, 1988) and an adaptation to the school environment of the Organizational Stress Indicator (Cooper, Sloan & Williams, 2002). All teachers came from secondary Italian schools (middle school and high school). The data was analyzed using multiple linear regression and an analysis of variance. Results. 8% of the secondary school teachers experienced burnout. Research shows that high school teachers have the highest levels of burnout and the lowest levels of personal accomplishment. The research data also shows the relationship between the coping strategy known as "escape/avoidance" and job burnout. The dysfunctional coping strategies (escape/avoidance, reduced problem-solving plans and little social support) are predictors of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. Conclusion. The results of this study highlight the connection between dysfunctional coping strategies and burnout in secondary high school teachers and confirm the need for preventative measures aimed at adaptive coping strategies.