Academic burnout and its related factors among dental students in southeast Iran: a cross-sectional study

Academic burnout in students manifests as emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and a sense of stagnation in their education. Given the high prevalence of occupational burnout among dental students, screening dental students for early signs of burnout can facilitate intervention and prevent negative effects on their physical and mental well-being.

This cross-sectional study included 180 clinical dentistry students in their third year and above at Kerman Dental Faculty during the academic year 2022-2023. A questionnaire comprising demographic information and the 12-item Persian version of the Burnout Clinical Subtype Questionnaire (BCSQ-12-SS) was utilized. Students' responses were scored on a five-point Likert scale. Data were analyzed using SPSS 26, employing T-tests, ANOVA, Pearson correlation, and linear regression tests, with a significance level set at 0.05.

Of the participants, 52.1% were female, and 47.9% were male, with an average age of 23.35 years. The response rate was 66.66%, with 120 completed questionnaires analyzed. High scores were observed in 4.2% for academic burnout, 23.3% for overload, 13.4% for lack of development, and 4.2% for neglect. No significant associations were found between academic burnout and gender, marital status, economic status, place of residence, or choice of major. However, factors such as family influence, high income, and social image as reasons for choosing dentistry were significantly associated with participants' total academic burnout scores.

Despite the low overall prevalence of burnout in this sample, understanding the factors influencing academic burnout is crucial for prevention due to its significant impact on students' academic performance and psychological well-being.