The proposed study will examine for systematic relationships between teacher burnout levels and the demographic variables of: (1) number of years spent teaching; (2) sex; (3) career orientation; and (4) religious background. The objective of the investigation is to examine whether the investigated demographics mitigate burnout levels.
Kyriacou (1987) defines teacher burnout as:
...the syndrome resulting from prolonged teacher stress, primarily characterized by physical, emotional, and attitudinal exhaustion. (p.146)
The issue of burnout has been of increasing concern to educators because of its association with high rates of teacher turnover (Jenkins & Calhoun, 1991), poor job performance and huge costs to the system (Martinez, 1989). Given the negative consequences of teacher burnout, it seems reasonable to study whether background characteristics (demographics) of teachers operate to alleviate or exacerbate the problem. The proposed research constitutes such a study.
The variables that will be examined for association with burnout have, at least to some extent, been investigated in prior research. For example, Burke and Greenglass (1988) found that levels of teacher stress and burnout differed depending upon type of career orientation. Also, in a review of the international literature on teacher stress and burnout, Kyriacou (1987) reported that findings were mixed regarding the effects of gender and number of years spent teaching. The demographic factor of religion has not as yet been comprehensively examined. Thus, more studies are needed before the effects of the demographics can be fully known. In an effort to provide this additional research, the proposed study will test the following null hypotheses:
Null Hypothesis 1 - Levels of teacher burnout will not be observed to be significantly related to differences in teachers' career orientation.
Null Hypothesis 2 - Teacher gender will not be observed to be s...