Occupational stress and burnout among teachers in China: latent profile and network analyses

Severe occupational stress and burnout are widespread among teachers in primary and secondary schools in urbanizing China. While studies have examined these phenomena, few studies have used an individual-centered perspective meanwhile integrated Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) and Network Analysis (NA) to investigate the heterogeneity and underlying connections between stress and occupational burnout.

This study aimed to address these gaps by examining co-occurrence patterns and core symptoms of teacher stress and burnout in a sample of 2,769 teachers using the Wilson Stress Profile and the Maslach Burnout Inventory.

The LPA revealed two distinct latent profiles: low stress-burnout and high stress-burnout. NA showed heterogeneity in the stressburnout network, with physical symptoms central in the low stress-burnout group and emotional exhaustion in the high stress-burnout group.

The networks indicated strong interconnections, suggesting a dynamic link between stress and burnout. These findings highlight the varied experiences of teacher stress and burnout, informing targeted interventions to improve teacher well-being.