A Structural Equation Modeling Analysis of the Relationships between Perceived Occupational Stress, Burnout, and Teacher Resilience

Abstract

Challenged with the task of effectively performing a wide range of roles and obligations in their work, teachers are believed to have one of the most stress-provoking professions (Johnson, Cooper, Cartwright, Donald, Taylor, & Millet, 2005). Closely associated with teacher stress and role complexity, teacher burnout can be considered a professional plight which is likely to afflict every teacher during his/her career. This study aimed to investigate the interrelationships of teaching context, perceived occupational stress, and burnout, with the mediating role of teacher resilience among Iranian EFL teachers. To this end, validated versions of four questionnaires were administered to 400 Iranian EFL teachers. The collected data were analyzed via Structural Equation Modeling. The results showed that lack of supervisory support, as a dimension of teaching context, can lead to teachers’ occupational stress more than other dimensions. Moreover, significant positive relationships were found between teachers’ occupational stress and their burnout level. There were also significant negative relationships between teacher resilience and occupational stress and burnout. Teacher resilience can be assumed to have a mediatory role in the relationship between occupational stress and burnout, in that it reduces occupational stress and results in the reduction of burnout.