Longitudinal Analysis of Academic Burnout in Korean Middle School Students

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to investigate the longitudinal relationships between the initial values and slopes of three dimensions of burnout syndrome (i.e. emotional exhaustion, cynicism and academic inefficacy). The study utilized four-wave longitudinal data from a total of 367 (81.6% response rate) middle school students in South Korea. Comprising a 6-month interval survey, the first survey was conducted in June 2010, the second in December 2010, the third in June 2011 and the fourth in December 2011. All participants were 13-year-olds at the first and second surveys, and 14-year-olds at the third and fourth surveys. The Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey was used for each survey to assess the level of academic burnout. The longitudinal data were analysed using latent growth modelling. The results of the study indicated that high initial values (intercept) for emotional exhaustion were associated with a higher rate of increase (slope) in cynicism and academic inefficacy. On the other hand, high initial values for cynicism and academic inefficacy were associated with a lower rate of increase in the other dimensions. This longitudinal study should promote understanding of burned-out students and contribute to the literature by informing the design of prevention programmes for academic burnout.

From emotional exhaustion to cynicism in academic burnout among Korean high school students: Focusing on the mediation effects of hatred of academic work

“…Several researchers have proposed models for the development process for burnout dimensions. In particular, the results of Kim et al (2014) are noteworthy because they proved the longitudinal causal relationships among components of academic burnout and their growth trajectories in Korean middle-school students. They suggested that emotional exhaustion leads to increased cynicism and inefficacy.…”

“…Academic burnout is a psychological symptom that occurs in response to chronic academic stressors, as it applies to students (Lee & Lee, 2018). Academic burnout has thus far been known to consist of three dimensions including both emotional and cognitive aspects (Kim, Lee, Kim, Choi, & Lee, 2014;Schaufeli, Martinez, Pinto, Salanova, & Bakker, 2002): (a) Emotional exhaustion, referring to an emotional aspect, and being emotionally drained by overloaded academic demands and lack of resources; (b) Cynicism, a cognitive aspect, defined as indifference or a distant attitude of being cynical and less enthusiastic towards study; (c) Inefficacy (reverse of efficacy), another cognitive aspect, defined as the tendency to take a pessimistic view of one's achievements in studying. Schaufeli, Salanova, González-Romá, and Bakker (2002) confirmed that exhaustion and cynicism are the core dimensions of burnout, whereas efficacy may be subsumed under the broader concept of engagement.…”

“…Emotional exhaustion is the core component of academic burnout resulting from long-time academic stress. It signifies the feeling of being overloaded and depleted of resources (Kim et al, 2014). In addition, it can be characterized by low energy, chronic fatigue, listlessness, restlessness, nervousness, and feeling drained and frustrated (Shin, 2012).…”

Relationships between social support and student burnout: A meta‐analytic approach

“…Burnout syndrome is likely to be prevalent among students who study intensively that they become emotionally exhausted, become cynical, and feel little sense of accomplishment during their academic life (Kim, Lee, Kim, Choi, & Lee, 2015;Schaufeli et al, 2002). As such, this study examined the relation between student burnout and social support.…”

An Analysis of the Relationship between Academic Burnout and Classroom Assessment Environment

“…Individuals who experience emotional exhaustion feel that they lack the energy required to start a new work day or a new task. The second dimension of burnout is desensitization, which refers to the loss of idealist emotions about and interest in a given task (Maslach & Goldberg, 1998), and the person exhibits negative, insensitive, and rigid attitudes towards individuals that he/she needs to interact with as part of the work (Kim, Lee, Kim, Choi & Lee, 2014). Thus, it could be stated that desensitization represents the interpersonal aspect of burnout (Budak & Surgevil, 2005).…”