SCHOOLS IN THE SOUTH MORAVIA REGION IN THE
CZECH REPUBLIC
Ivana Marova *, Karel Pancocha**, Dagmar Prinosilova***
*Doctoral student, Department of Special Education, Faculty of Education, Masaryk University, Poříčí 7, Brno, P.O.box 603 00, Czech Republic, 251636@mail.muni.cz
**Department Head of Institute for Research in Inclusive Education, Faculty of Education, Masaryk University, Poříčí 31, Brno, P.O.box 603 00, Czech Republic,
pancocha@ped.muni.cz ***Assistant Professor, Department of Special Education, Faculty of Education, Masaryk University, Poříčí 7, Brno, P.O.box 603 00, Czech Republic,
dagmar.prinosilova@seznam.cz
ABSTRACT
Burnout syndrome, state of total mental a physical exhaustion, is connected with many occupations, but especially with those, which are focus on work with people. It is clearly increasing problem in the teaching profession.
Long-term stress during daily inner and outer conflicts leads to gradual weakening of organism and open space for the development of burnout. The contribution presents the results of research focused on burnout syndrome manifestation in pedagogical staff in special schools in the South Moravia region in the Czech Republic. The research sample consisted of 102 participants, which were assessed by Maslach Burnout Inventory. The questionnaire deals with three burnout areas: emotional exhaustion, personal accomplishments and depersonalisation. These areas have been assessed in connection with certain characteristics, such as gender, length of teaching practice, working position, education and subjectively assessed mental state. The results of the research did not confirm burnout among the study group.
BURNOUT SYNDROME
Burnout syndrome is formally defined as a state of physical, emotional and mental exhaustion caused by long-term involvement in situations that are emotionally demanding. The emotional demands are most often caused by a combination of high expectations and chronic stress (Pines, Aronson, 1988).
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Although burnout was firstly identified within people-oriented professions, it can be experienced by anyone in the position of providing extensive care for another person. This is most likely to occur when the person is suffering from a chronic and debilitating health conditions (Maslach, 2003).
Teaching profession is one of those in which may Burnout syndrome occurs. The array of symptoms such as physical depletion, feelings of hopelessness, the development of a negative self-concept and negative attitudes towards work can affect the work performance as well as a teacher-pupil relationship (Gold, Roth, 1993). Stress and burnout become particularly serious due to the consequences. It has an influence on sickness rate of teachers which is determined by neurotic and psychosomatic disorders. The significant correlation between burnout and psychological and psychosomatic symptoms has been confirmed (f.e.) by Bauer et al. (2005). The sickness rate of teacher results in high absence and affects teacher performance in school. The dissatisfaction and depressive mood increasing depersonalization and may lead to early retirement (Vanderberghe, Huberman, 1999). There are variety of factors which contribute to the stress and demoralization of teachers. These include student discipline, lack of personal support, pressures from the school, insufficient financial support, poor imagine of profession and working environment. These variables are in case of special teachers enriched by specific condition of special schools and difficult health statement of the pupils (Gold, Roth, 1993).
According to Brock, Grady (2004; Maslach, 2003) teachers suffering burnout generally exhibit symptoms in five general areas: physical, intellectual, social, emotional and spiritual. The symptoms are multifaced, with blurred distinctions and their intersections. Burnout syndrome is a cumulative process beginning with small signals which can progress. Occasional feelings such as frustration lead to depression, emotional withdrawal and health problems. Withdrawal and depersonalization advances to a more deterioration level where loss of caring about others and oneself is experienced and leads to disillusionment and near total feeling of giving up, or burnout (Gold, Roth, 1993; Potter, 2005).
According to Maslach (2003; Schaufeli, Maslach & Marek, 1993) there are three main dimensions of burnout syndrome. A pattern of emotional overload and subsequent emotional exhaustion is at the heart of the Burnout syndrome. The development of detached, callous and even dehumanized response leads to second characteristics aspects of burnout – depersonalization. Feeling negatively about the others encompasses being down on oneself. With the guilty feeling a third aspect of burnout occurs – reduced feeling of personal accomplishment.
METHODOLOGY
The survey was carried out on six special schools in South Moravia Region (Czech Republic). All special school in the South Region, which educate pupils with mental or multiple disabilities, were contacted.
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The survey includes those schools whose leadership expressed interest in screening of burnout manifestation. The research sample contained 102 participants (all pedagogical staff of six special schools).
For the detection of the Burnout syndrome the quantitative research method Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) has been used. It is focused on three different areas relating to work - emotional exhaustion (EE), personal accomplishment (PA) and depersonalization (DP). All areas were assed in connection with independent variables, such as a gender, educational attainment, length of teaching practice, working position and regional location (urban/rural district). The Burnout syndrome is defined through low score in the area of personal accomplishment and high score in depersonalization and emotional exhaustion.
For a data analysis the statistic methods has been used. The normality of data was assessed on the basis of histograms, which confirmed the Gaussian distribution of the data only in the field of emotional exhaustion and personal accomplishment.
Relations between independent variables and outcomes in the areas of emotional exhaustion and personal satisfaction were evaluated using ANOVA and subsequent comparison of the various categories using Tukey HSD post hoc test. For the evaluation of the relations among independent variables and average values of depersonalization were used nonparametric test methods. Data were analyzed using SPSS 22.0 software.
RESULTS
According to finding, the average points in all observed areas of MBI were positive. The level of emotional exhaustion in teachers of special schools was reached in moderate level as well as in the area of personal accomplishment (17,96 p.; 36,69 p.). Moderate levels confirm the suggestion about high tolerance to stress among teachers of special schools in the South Moravia Region. It has been supported also by the level of depersonalization, which was detected as low (4,5 p.).
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Figure 1. Average score in EE, DP, PA in teaching staff of special schools in South Moravia Region
Figure 2. Level of Emotional Exhaustion 0
10 20 30 40
EE DP PA
18
4,5
36,7