Teacher stress and burnout: The role of psychological work resources and implications for practitioners

When we think about the issues currently confronted by those who work in schools, stress and burnout among teachers and other practitioners is recognized as a widespread concern due to the adverse effects on students, schools, and communities. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of job stress on the experienced burnout of teachers, and to examine the variability in burnout attributable to a specific psychological resource, namely, an individual's work‐related sense of coherence (Work‐SoC). A descriptive, cross‐sectional analysis was conducted using data collected through an online survey from 231 primary and secondary school teachers in the United States. Results from correlational and regression analyses demonstrate that two forms of work stress—perceived quantity and perceived quality—are important predictors of burnout. Further, Work‐SoC contributes to variability in teacher burnout even after accounting for perceived work and life stress, suggesting its important role in buffering teachers from the experience of burnout. Implications for practitioners for reducing teacher stress and burnout are discussed. PRACTITIONER POINTS 1. Educators across the United States experience job stress and burnout differently. 2. One set of factors that negatively impacts job stress and burnout are personal, individual characteristics which includes age, sex, and tenure status. 3. Another set of factors that negatively impact job stress are centered on the context of the school and community and includes percentage of non‐white students, Title I status, and “failing” school status.