Burnout syndrome in teachers of national universities of the Argentine republic

Abstract

Burnout syndrome is defined as a response to chronic work stress made up of negative attitudes and feelings towards the people with whom one works and towards one's professional role, as well as the experience of being emotionally exhausted. This response occurs frequently in professionals. This generally happens when there is no clarity in the roles and tasks that each of the employees must perform. Also, excessive competition between colleagues, an unhealthy physical place to work and the scarcity of tools or supplies are often a matter of disorganization. Another factor that influences is the individual and her ability to adapt. In recent times, work stress has become one of the important factors of disability. Therefore, “burnout syndrome appears when the compensatory mechanisms of adaptation to work situations with sustained stress fail”. Objective: To analyze the prevalence of Burnout Syndrome in University Teachers of the Argentine Republic.

A cross-sectional study was conducted. The EBA scale (Atienza Burnout Scale) was used, a population of 243 teachers belonging to National Universities of the Argentine Republic grouped in FEDUN (GREMIO), Federation of teachers of national universities. The respondents participate in a workshop on Burnout and in this framework, with prior consent, the scale was applied.

The prevalence of Burnout syndrome in teachers is 61.2%, with 34.6% moderate and 26.7% severe, 30.1% did not present burnout syndrome.

More than half of the teachers presented Burnout, to achieve educational quality it is necessary to preserve the health of its members. It becomes necessary that the ministerial authorities together with the union or guild contemplate the implementation of comprehensive programs to improve working conditions to avoid the deterioration, frustration and disappointment of the professional.

SECYT project: comparative study of the prevalence of burnout syndrome in undergraduate students, postgraduate students and university teachers.