School Burnout after COVID-19, Prevalence and Role of Different Risk and Protective Factors in Preteen Students

Abstract

Background: Current data show an increase in stress among youth since the COVID-19 pandemic, raising the question of the measures to be put in place to limit it. Aim: The aim of this study is to measure the prevalence of burnout and the different risk and protective factors of burnout among students and to compare the mean scores obtained with those collected in a similar sample in 2014. Method: Perceived health, school burnout, and the different risk and protective factors among students were measured by self-reported questionnaires among a sample of 184 students (11–13 years old). Results: The results indicate significantly higher burnout scores than in 2014. Different variables were predictive of school burnout: 1. At the individual level, a low academic achievement in mathematics, somatic symptoms, and the expressed stress; 2. At the interpersonal level, lack of support from peers, teachers, and parents and a negative classroom climate; 3. At the pandemic level, the increased workload related to the consequences of COVID-19. The factors with the greatest impact are confidence in the future, perceived stress, parental supports, and mathematics results. Conclusions: An intervention program targeting these four factors among burned out students would be relevant to set up in order to reduce its prevalence.

Unraveling the longitudinal relationships between connectedness to nature, depressive symptoms, and learning burnout in adolescents

“…Learning burnout, a state of exhaustion due to academic pressure, is a common psychological phenomenon prevalent in Asia and Europe (Gabola et al, 2021; Gao, 2023; Kinnunen et al, 2016; Lee et al, 2020). Learning burnout is more prominent among Chinese adolescents than in other countries (Lacombe et al, 2023). In 2020, the China Care for the Next Generation Working Committee conducted a survey on learning burnout in primary and secondary schools.…”

Students' core self-evaluations and academic burnout: the mediating role of personal resources

“…workload, changes in teaching and assessment methods, lack of direct interactions with colleagues and so on). If these requirements were perceived as exceeding personal resources to manage them, they became a stressful factor that favored the occurrence of burnout (Aguayo-Estremera et al, 2023;Lacombe et al, 2023). Thus, overwhelmed by all these transformations, students experienced exhaustion from the new academic requirements, combined with a "cynical and detached attitude towards study" (Schaufeli et al, 2002, p. 73).…”

“…Although many studies emphasize the need to design programs to help students manage post-pandemic burnout (Aguayo-Estremera et al, 2023;Lacombe et al, 2023), very few address how personal resources (e.g. PsyCap, proactive coping) can contribute to reducing it, or how a positive evaluation of one's person (high core self-evaluations) sustains the activation of personal resources and lower burnout.…”

“…If these requirements were perceived as exceeding personal resources to manage them, they became a stressful factor that favored the occurrence of burnout (Aguayo-Estremera et al. , 2023; Lacombe et al. , 2023).…”

“…Although many studies emphasize the need to design programs to help students manage post-pandemic burnout (Aguayo-Estremera et al. , 2023; Lacombe et al. , 2023), very few address how personal resources (e.g.…”