Burnout Syndrome Level and Coping Strategies of Public and Private Elementary School Teachers in their Middle Adulthood

Abstract

Stress is not a new phenomenon for human beings because of the particular crisis at each developmental stage they have to resolve in order to fully develop their potentials. However, the ability to cope with the crises in life varies and is very much dependent not on hereditary characteristics alone but also on the training and experiences one receives from the environment. With the present perils in the society, individuals are not always assured with a healthy development. Even adults who work are also bombarded with different issues making adulthood such a complicated stage. Take this situation for an example, there are some individuals who are able to find satisfying jobs. Most of them who find their jobs unsatisfying leave their present jobs and look for a better ones. This situation can be characterized as a “flight” response to stress. On the other hand, there are individuals who stay with their jobs but they are not able to fully cope with the stressful situations and continue to use faulty coping mechanisms. A continuous build up of occupational stress leads to burnout syndrome. Freudenberger (1971) coined the term “bumout™ in the early 1970s. Greenberg (1993) cites that “burnout is an adverse work stress reaction with psychological, psychophysiological, and behavioral components™ It is tied up to major work problems faced by companies such as high incidence of absenteeism. low staff morale, high rates of physical illness, among others. Everyone is prone to experience this phenomenon. Most of the studies pioneered by Malach — Pines (2000), Decenteceo (1999), Freudenberger and Richelson (1988), and Reinhold (1996) among many other authors, have proven that those in the helping professions are the most susceptible to burnout syndrome because of the nature of their work. The helping professions consist of social workers, counselors. medical doctors particularly psychiatrists, and the teaching profession. A lot of the researches were done to investigate the occurrence and prevalence of such phenomenon. Several variables were also examined in relation to the phenomenon, such as sense of existentialism (Malach — Pines, 2000), fatigue (Cacho, 1999), and retirement syndrome. among others. This study is about the burnout syndrome level and coping strategies of selected public and private elementary school teachers in their middle adulthood. Two elementary schools in Metro Manila, Tomas Eamshaw Elementary School in Punta, Sta. Ana. Manila (a public school) and Jose Rizal University in Mandaluyong City(a private school) were selected for this study. Seventy-three teachers, in all grade levels and with age ranging from 40 years to 65 years, were qualified as sample for this endeavor. Moreover. all of them expressed their interest to the treatment of the Burnout Syndrome and the Job Satisfaction Scales administered in the survey. Among the seventy-three respondents (n = 73), a total of eight teachers (five for the public school and three for the private school) were randomly selected for the follow—up interview. The general objective of this endeavor is to identify the differences of the burnout syndrome levels and coping strategies of the selected public and private elementary school teachers. The specific objectives are the following: (1) to describe the teachers’ profile according to the different variables, (2) to identify and analvze the factors contributing to Burnout Syndrome, (3) to classify the symptoms of Burnout Syndrome as manifested by the teachers, (4) to figure out and assess the positive and negative coping strategies used by the teachers. (5) to examine the relationship of job satisfaction and Burnout Syndrome, and (6) to draw out any information or suggestions of these teachers for the development of the teaching profession to their colleagues, superiors, school administrators, government and younger generation of teachers. The research design of this endeavor is descriptive in nature. Both the qualitative and quantitative methods of data gathering were utilized. The researcher conducted a survey, primarily through a questionnaire, and a follow-up interview. The questionnaire contains the personal data sheet, and the Burnout Syndrome and Job Satisfaction Scales administered to the sample. The general hypotheses in this study are the following: The null hypothesis is that there is no significant difference between the public and private school teachers in terms of proneness to Burnout Syndrome. The alternative hypothesis is that there is a significant difference between the public and the private school teachers in terms of proneness to Burnout Syndrome. Descriptive Statistics, such as the mean and standard deviations with corresponding nominal values, were utilized in analyzing the four domains in the Burnout Syndrome Scale. The respondents obtained a “high” mean score for the domains on (1) career satisfaction (4.18), (2) perceived support (4.83). and (3) attitudes towards students (4.30). This result was further verified during the interview. Based on the data gathered, it can be concluded that the respondents are still highly satisfied with their career as teachers, they have harmonious and supportive relationship with their colleagues and superiors, and they have high regard with their students whom they treat as their own children. However, a “low™ mean score of 3. 24 was obtained on the domain on (4) coping with burnout syndrome. Despite having a lower mean score in the domain of coping strategies, the teachers included in this study are very much disciplined in carrying out their responsibilities. During the interview, the respondents admitted that they have difficulty in disciplining their pupils, and most of the time, the primary source of burnout arises with the difficulty in imposing discipline. Moreover, there were differences noted in the immediate coping strategies, such as directing the students to other activities and going out of the classroom while doing some breathing exercises among others, employed by the public and private elementary school teachers. The researcher considers these immediate coping strategies as less dehumanizing because less harm is inflicted on their students and they also learn how to control their behavior. On the other hand, they admitted that they have learned to accept the realities of their profession as teachers throughout their years of staying it. Furthermore, they still try not to let their students and their quality of teaching be affected whenever they are in extremely stressful situations. Only slight differences in decimal points were noted in the computation of the mean scores of the public and private school respondents. The study was also comparative in nature because it compared Burnout Syndrome levels, utilizing the Chi — square method with confidence level set at .05 alpha level, with the following variables: (1) type of school, (2) years in teaching, (3) years of employment, (4) number of students, (5) type of sections handled, and only (6) job satisfaction level was found to have a significant relationship with bumout syndrome. Job Satisfaction of teachers was also examined in this study. Certain factors were investigated under the six domains in the Job Sausfaction Scale. namely: (1) attitudes towards work itself (4.78), (2) social recognition (4.62), (3) relationship with colleagues (4.70), (4) working conditions (4.59), (5) pay (3.08), and (6) advancement (4.52). And, out of the six domains investigated, only the domain on pay (3.08) had the remarkably lowest mean score. However, it is not only the issue of pay that should be given importance because this domain does not only constitute the entire phenomenon. it is also important to deal with other variables studied that might have an implication to the results obtained. The researcher found out that there are existing programs or training on burnout or stress management in both schools, particularly the public school under study which has a monthly professional meeting (sponsored by the school) with different topics discussed that were truly helpful for them. However, the private school has regular staff meetings and some training where the teachers can give their grievances. It is recommended that the government address the pressing problems of our educational sector today, particularly the issues confronting the teachers in public or private sectors. Furthermore, it is recommended that the teachers be given enough training, not only in the acquisition of new technology but also the programs about Burnout Syndrome management and other similar programs which will further help them in managing stressful situations so as not to let the delivery of education suffer. Lastly, it is recommended that future studies be generated to further investigate this phenomenon. as well as to design different programs which can help them in coping with burnout Syndrome.