Title: Analysis of the Causes and Exploration of Countermeasures for Teacher Burnout
Authors: Xiaoquan Pan, Huijuan Shao
Volume: 10
Issue: 3
Pages: 69-76
Publication Date: 2026/03/28
Abstract:
Teacher burnout has become a global educational concern, significantly impairing educational quality and teacher professional development. Grounded in Maslach's three-dimensional theory (encompassing emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment) and an ecological systems theoretical framework, this study systematically analyzes the complex interplay of its causative factors. Intrinsically, it stems from the high emotional labor demands of teaching, societal expectations of "boundless responsibility", and multiple role conflicts (occupational characteristics). It is directly associated with adverse organizational environments, including work overload and time fragmentation, restricted professional autonomy coupled with insufficient support resources, and flawed performance evaluation and promotion systems (organizational environment). Simultaneously, it is exacerbated by weak social support, mismatched home-school expectations, and erosion of professional dignity (social environment). Its manifestation is further differentiated by individual variations in psychological resilience, coping strategies, and intrinsic motivation (individual traits). Contemporary challenges such as the rapid evolution of educational paradigms, digital transformation, and technology-induced anxiety (era-specific shifts) compound these issues. Accordingly, this study proposes multi-level synergistic intervention strategies: At the individual level, strategies focus on strengthening emotion management, time planning, psychological resilience building, and enhancing professional identity. At the organizational level, management innovation is advocated, encompassing workload reduction (substantive burden alleviation), empowerment, optimization of evaluation systems, and the cultivation of supportive organizational cultures. At the policy level, measures include safeguarding educational investment, improving remuneration and benefits, optimizing staffing allocations, and reforming professional ranking and promotion mechanisms. At the societal level, efforts should be directed towards restoring the ethos of teaching respect, clarifying the boundaries of home-school responsibilities, and integrating accessible support resources. Only through concerted, multi-dimensional efforts can a healthy educational ecosystem be established, effectively mitigating burnout and fortifying the foundation for high-quality educational development.