Teachers post-traumatic growth after burnout

Stuðningur í starfsumhverfinu og áfallaþroski

Abstract

The aim of the study was to gain an understanding of elementary school teachers’ experiences with burnout and find out, from the teachers’ own opinions, what caused the burnout and what knowledge was gained in the process. Burnout is a syndrome (combination of symptoms) that occurs as a mental and physical reaction to chronic stress and discomfort at work and has been classified as a type of trauma. It manifests as exhaustion, distrust towards others, and reduced interest in work. Burned-out individuals are emotionally and physically drained, unable to cope with their current situation, lose interest in their work, and often display negative attitudes. Research has shown that various factors in the work environment can cause teacher burnout, such as heavy workload, negative and difficult interactions with parents, challenging students, and lack of support for students with behavioural or learning difficulties. An environment that supports teachers’ basic needs, where teachers have the freedom to make decisions, receive feedback on their performance, and experience understanding from colleagues, contributes to better well-being and less fatigue and is less likely to cause burnout. Conversely, an environment that does not support these basic needs, where teachers experience limitations on their freedom, unclear rules, and management, can lead to dissatisfaction, physical and mental difficulties, and ultimately, burnout. The work environment was examined by applying Ryan and Decy’s self-determination theory to analyse how teachers’ work environment meets their basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Since burnout can be classified as a trauma, the aim was also to shed light on whether and then what personal lessons or so-called post-traumatic growth teachers drew from the experience of going through burnout, having to work through the trauma and recover from it. Research on post-traumatic growth suggests that those who experience post-traumatic growth talk about changes in three areas: a changed outlook on life, a change in relationships with others, and a stronger sense of self. A phenomenological approach was used where indepth interviews were conducted with seven working primary school teachers who had experienced burnout, recovered, and returned to teaching. The teachers did not know each other and were between the ages of 40 and 60. All of them had taught in primary school for at least ten years. The interviews were taken between October 2021 and May 2022. They were all around sixty minutes long and were transcribed the following day. All of the interviews were analysed and coded using thematic analysis. Results showed that the teachers’ working conditions influenced their burnout experience. Teachers are under a lot of mental and physical stress. They felt that they could not handle the situation and feel shame for what they were experiencing and that they had somehow let others down. They lacked social connections and support in the workplace. They subsequently felt powerless and shameful. The teachers talked about the importance of having friends in the workplace, and when they did, they were happier and less likely to experience burnout. When teachers did not have good social connections or a support network, they felt powerless and were more likely to experience burnout. The teachers also talked about the importance of experiencing expressing opinions about the job and how it is performed. All the teachers experienced post-traumatic growth and felt that life was, in one way or another, better than before they experienced burnout. The teachers believed they had a new and changed outlook on life, a stronger identity, and a stronger sense of self. They were more grateful for everyday life and had better relationships and interactions with others. These findings align with research based on Post Traumatic Growth and the Self Determination Theory and individuals’ basic psychological needs, including autonomy, competence, and relatedness. If these needs are not met, it can have negative effects and lead to burnout. Therefore, it is important to take good care of teachers and create conditions and atmospheres that promote them feeling good and where they experience support and social connections.