Analysis of the Relationship between Burnout and Empathy Ability among Teachers in Special Education Schools

Abstract

In order to explore whether the empathy ability of Chinese special education school teachers has an impact on their burnout, this study investigated 156 special education school teachers using the Empathy Competence Scale and the Burnout Scale. The results are as follows : (1)The scores of various dimensions of burnout of teachers in special education schools are all lower than the theoretical median, and the overall level of job burnout of this group is low. (2)Except imagination was not correlated with emotional exhaustion, other dimensions of empathy ability were significantly correlated with all dimensions of burnout (all p <0.05). (3)Regression analysis found that perspective taking could negatively predict emotional exhaustion and low personal accomplishment (all p <0.05). Empathy concern could negatively predict low personal achievement (p <0.05). Personal distress positively predicted emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and low personal accomplishment (all p <0.001). Imagination could negatively predict emotional exhaustion and depersonalization (all p <0.05).