Stress and Burnout: An Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis of Elite School Teachers Beliefs and Experiences

This study explored the beliefs of elite school teachers concerning the effect of students' behavior on teachers' stress and burnout in an elite school. It also aimed to find out the perceptions of elite school teachers about organizational climate inducing teachers' stress and burnout. This study used an interpretive phenomenological research design to get an insight into the lived experiences of stress and burnout elite schoolteachers face. A criterion sampling technique was used to select a sample of fifteen teachers employed in an elite school in Lahore. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to get a deeper understanding of the lived experiences of elite school teachers. The thematic cross-case analysis revealed that most teachers experience-work stress and burnout. Some of the major stressors for teachers were administrative conflicts, collegial issues,excessive workload, lack of appreciation, and organizational environment. Students' disruptive behavior is the most significant predictor of teacher stress and exhaustion. It has been concluded that teachers need to have a properly articulated policy that could possibly protect their rights.