Factors associated with burnout's syndrome: an epidemiological study of teachers

This article presents the results of an epidemiological study on burnout syndrome among private school teachers in Greater Metropolitan Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, testing possible associations with demographic, work-related, and stress-related variables. The target population consisted of 217 teachers, of whom 190 participated (87.5%). The Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) was used to measure burnout, together with a questionnaire to record the other variables. The results showed that teachers have a low score in the three dimensions comprising burnout: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and decreased personal fulfillment at work. Demographic variables did not show any association with burnout, while occupational variables, workload, and number of students were associated with emotional exhaustion. Bad conduct by students, family expectations, and limited participation in institutional decisions were the stress factors associated with burnout.