Relationship between mentalizing and teacher burnout: A cross sectional study.
Teodora Safiye1, Branimir Vukčević2, Ardea Milidrag1
1Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, Kragujevac, Serbia.
Plos One
|January 13, 2023
Summary
Teachers with a lower capacity for mentalizing experience more burnout and emotional exhaustion. However, improved mentalizing skills can reduce burnout, suggesting their inclusion in teacher training programs.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Education
- Occupational Health
Background:
- Teaching is a high-risk profession with significant occupational risk factors impacting educators' mental health.
- Burnout syndrome is a prevalent concern among teachers, linked to various risk factors in the educational environment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between teachers' capacity for mentalizing and the degree of burnout they experience.
- To determine if a lower capacity for mentalizing predicts increased burnout levels in educators.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 823 teachers.
- Burnout syndrome assessed using the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Educators Survey.
- Capacity for mentalizing measured via hypomentalizing and hypermentalizing scales from the Reflective Functioning Questionnaire.
Main Results:
- Hypomentalizing (low mentalizing capacity) positively predicted emotional exhaustion and, unexpectedly, personal accomplishment.
- Hypermantalizing (high mentalizing capacity) negatively predicted emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, while positively predicting personal accomplishment.
- Higher socioeconomic status, marriage, and having children were associated with lower teacher burnout.
Conclusions:
- Teacher burnout and mentalizing capacity are interconnected.
- Enhanced mentalizing capacity is associated with reduced emotional exhaustion and burnout.
- Incorporating mentalizing skills into teacher education programs is recommended to mitigate burnout.
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