Perceived School Climate and Teacher Sense of Self-efficacy as a Predictor of Burnout among Pakistani School Teachers

Abstract

Teacher burnout is acknowledged as an internationally universal issue (Johnson et al., 2005), that can take a physical, psychological, and emotional toll on teacher’s experiences (Maslach & Jackson, 1981). Literature review suggests that there are only a handful of researches conducted on the subject of teacher burnout on Pakistani school teachers and those too have largely focused on assessing the role of demographical variables on burnout among teachers. Assessing the role of school-contextual factors such as school climate, on burnout among teachers within the Pakistani context is a neglected area of research. Aims: The aim of the present study was to assess the relationship of perceived school climatic factors and teacher's self-efficacy with teacher burnout. Furthermore, relative contributions of demographic factors on teacher burnout and its sub-dimensions have been assessed. The study also aimed to explore the role of teacher's self-efficacy as a mediator between perceived school climatic factors and burnout among teachers. Method: The sample consisted of N = 355 primary and secondary school teachers from the sectors of both government and private schools of Islamabad. Convenient sampling was used to determine the sample. The scales used in this study included: Revised-School Level Environment Questionnaire (R-SLEQ), Teachers Burnout Scale, Teachers Self-efficacy Scale (TSES) and the Demographic sheet. Findings: Results from Multiple Regression Analysis showed that overall perceived school climate and teacher’s self-efficacy significantly predicted burnout among school teachers. Moreover, on the sub-dimensions level; Collaboration, student relations, and teacher sense of self-efficacy in classroom management strategies significantly predicted overall teacher burnout. Furthermore, student relations significantly predicted teacher’s coping with job-related stress, attitude towards students, and teacher’s career satisfaction. And collaboration significantly predicted teacher’s perceived administrative support. In the current sample, the result of mediation analysis conducted in PROCESS Macro (version 3.5) by Andrew F. Hayes, provided support for mediation of teacher's self-efficacy in the relationship of school climate and burnout among teachers. Results from T-test and ANOVA showed that Marital Status, Age, Gender, total years of teaching experience, and Gender of students were found differently related to teachers burnout and its sub-factors. Conclusion: The results support the view that burnout among teachers is not only fundamentally affected by the individual-related factors but it may also be influenced by school-related factors such as school climate within Pakistani schools context. School climatic factors e.g. Collaboration among teachers and Student relations are the most pertinent predictors of teacher burnout and its subdimensions. Thus, encouraging the formation of positive teacher’s interaction and relationship with their colleagues and students is likely to promote teacher sense of self-efficacy, which as a result may protect teachers against experiencing burnout and its negative outcomes.