Abstract
Due to the multiplicity of stressors inherent to teaching, this occupation is one of the most affected by the burnout syndrome. This research sought to evaluate the frequency of Burnout among elementary schoolteachers in Mozambique, verifying possible associations between this condition and sociodemographic and occupational factors. This is a quantitative study, with an observational, analytical, transversal design, conducted with 263 teachers - 56.3% of whom were female and age from 18 to 58 years. Sociodemographic and occupational data were collected using the Portuguese version of the Spanish Burnout Inventory for Educational Professionals (CESQT-PE) and analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences Software. The results indicate that 13.3% of the participants had low levels of illusion for work, 16.3% had high levels of mental deterioration, 13.3% had indolence, and 25.9% had high levels of guilt. Profile analysis showed that 24% of the evaluated teachers fit into profile 1 (high levels of burnout) and 11% into profile 2 (severe levels of burnout). Age was significantly associated with mental deterioration and gender with guilt. These findings indicate that some teachers are developing the burnout syndrome, thus requiring interventions to prevent the worsening of such condition. This study draws the awareness of managers and the school community to the need for improving factors that generate occupational stress, aiming to transform the teaching work into a healthy and pleasant task.
Keywords:
Worker’s Health; Mental Health; Burnout Syndrome