The Role of Existential Aspects in Predicting Mental Health and Burnout

Objective: Burnout and poor mental health are among the most important issues in workplace, which may lead to serious consequences for organizations. The present study aimed at finding possible prediction of the variables based on existential aspects of responsibility, freedom, self- transcendence, and self-distance. Method: A total of 385 junior high school and high school teachers, who worked in Tehran schools (Dist.17), participated in this cross-sectional study. They were given Maslach Burnout Inventory, General Health Questionnaire, and Existence Scale to assess burnout, mental health problems, and existence aspects. The participants were selected through one-stage cluster sampling. Data were analyzed using a stepwise multiple variable regression method. Results: Responsibility, freedom, self- transcendence, and self-distance predicted nearly 38% of the variance of mental health; moreover, responsibility, freedom, and self- transcendence predicted nearly 28% of the variance of burnout altogether. Conclusion: The findings of this study revealed that the existential aspects of responsibility, freedom, self-transcendence, and self-distance could be important in predicting burnout and mental health problems among teachers. However, further studies are required to investigate this possibility.