Connection Between Perceived Quality of Relationships in Teaching Teams and Burnout Syndrome among Primary School Teachers
Abstract
Teaching is considered to be a profession with elevated stress, which can lead to burnout. To prevent burnout, it is necessary to analyze what increases the level of stress and what, on the other hand, decreases it.
The presented study is part of extensive research of burnout among primary school teachers. It had two parts: (1) a questionnaire (n = 2,394) and (2) a series of case studies at 12 primary schools.
The aim of the study was to explore the connection between the perceived quality of professional relationships in teaching teams and burnout syndrome at Czech primary schools. The study compared data from the Shirom-Melamed Burnout Questionnaire, a questionnaire on the quality of school relationships, and the thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews.
It turns out that teachers perceive the relationships at their schools rather positively and feel satisfied in their relationships. The link between the perceived quality of relationships and burnout was confirmed as statistically significant.
At the same time, two forms of collegial relationships in schools were distinguished: professional and personal relationships, with the former being more important for a job satisfaction.