Lam Ho Thuc Trang, Vu Thi Thanh Hien 2024, Factors affecting occupational burnout among preschool teachers in the Central Highlands provinces, Journal of Vietnamese Psychology, No.. Lam Kiệt sức nghề nghiệp của giáo viên mầm non ở các tỉnh Tây NguyênKiệt sức nghề nghiệp của giáo viên mầm non ở các tỉnh Tây NguyênKiệt sức nghề nghiệp của giáo viên mầm non ở các tỉnh Tây NguyênKiệt sức nghề nghiệp của giáo viên mầm non ở các tỉnh Tây NguyênKiệt sức nghề nghiệp của giáo viên mầm non ở các tỉnh Tây NguyênKiệt sức nghề nghiệp của giáo viên mầm non ở các tỉnh Tây NguyênKiệt sức nghề nghiệp của giáo viên mầm non ở các tỉnh Tây NguyênKiệt sức nghề nghiệp của giáo viên mầm non ở các tỉnh Tây NguyênKiệt sức nghề nghiệp của giáo viên mầm non ở các tỉnh Tây NguyênKiệt sức nghề nghiệp của giáo viên mầm non ở các tỉnh Tây NguyênKiệt sức nghề nghiệp của giáo viên mầm non ở các tỉnh Tây NguyênKiệt sức nghề nghiệp của giáo viên mầm non ở các tỉnh Tây NguyênKiệt sức nghề nghiệp của giáo viên mầm non ở các tỉnh Tây NguyênKiệt sức nghề nghiệp của giáo viên mầm non ở các tỉnh Tây NguyênKiệt sức nghề nghiệp của giáo viên mầm non ở các tỉnh Tây NguyênKiệt sức nghề nghiệp của giáo viên mầm non ở các tỉnh Tây NguyênKiệt sức nghề nghiệp của giáo viên mầm non ở các tỉnh Tây NguyênKiệt sức nghề nghiệp của giáo viên mầm non ở các tỉnh Tây NguyênKiệt sức nghề nghiệp của giáo viên mầm non ở các tỉnh Tây NguyênKiệt sức nghề nghiệp của giáo viên mầm non ở các tỉnh Tây NguyênKiệt sức nghề nghiệp của giáo viên mầm non ở các tỉnh Tây NguyênKiệt sức nghề nghiệp của giáo viên mầm non ở các tỉnh Tây NguyênKiệt sức nghề nghiệp của giáo viên mầm non ở các tỉnh Tây NguyênKiệt sức nghề nghiệp của giáo viên mầm non ở các tỉnh Tây NguyênKiệt sức nghề nghiệp của giáo viên mầm non ở các tỉnh Tây NguyênKiệt sức nghề nghiệp của giáo viên mầm non ở các tỉnh Tây NguyênKiệt sức nghề nghiệp của giáo viên mầm non ở các tỉnh Tây NguyênKiệt sức nghề nghiệp của giáo viên mầm non ở các tỉnh Tây NguyênKiệt sức nghề nghiệp của giáo viên mầm non ở các tỉnh Tây NguyênKiệt sức nghề nghiệp của giáo viên mầm non ở các tỉnh Tây NguyênKiệt sức nghề nghiệp của giáo viên mầm non ở các tỉnh Tây NguyênKiệt sức nghề nghiệp của giáo viên mầm non ở các tỉnh Tây Nguyên
Trang 1HANOI UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION
LAM HO THUC TRANG
OCCUPATIONAL BURNOUT OF PRESCHOOL
TEACHERS IN THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS PROVINCES
Major: Psychology Code: 9 31 04 01
SUMMARY OF DOCTORAL THESIS IN PSYCHOLOGY
Hanoi – 2025
Trang 2HANOI UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION
Scientific supervisor: Associate Professor, PhD Le Minh Nguyet
Dr Vu Thi Thanh Hien
Reviewer 1: Associate Professor, Dr Nguyen Van Luot
University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi
Reviewer 2: Associate Professor, Dr Ta Quang Dam
Academy of Politics - Ministry of National Defense
Reviewer 3: Associate Professor, Dr Vu Thu Trang
Hanoi National University of Education
The thesis will be defended before the School-level Thesis Evaluation Council
meeting at Hanoi National University of Education
at … hour …day …month…year…
Thesis can be found at the library: National Library, Hanoi or Hanoi
National University of Education Library
Trang 3RELATED TO THE THESIS
1 Lam Ho Thuc Trang, Vu Thi Thanh Hien (2024), Level of occupational burnout
among preschool teachers in the Central Highlands provinces, Journal of Vietnamese Psychology, No 10, October - 2024, page 89 - 103.
2 Lam Ho Thuc Trang, Vu Thi Thanh Hien (2024), Factors affecting occupational
burnout among preschool teachers in the Central Highlands provinces, Journal of Vietnamese Psychology, No 10, October - 2024, page 171 - 182.
3 Lam Ho Thuc Trang (2025), Experimental results of measures to reduce occupationalburnout among preschool teachers in some provinces of The Central Highlands,
Proceedings of the International Scientific Conference: Social Work for Positive Human Development: Theory and Practice, Volume 2, 20 – 21 March, 2025, page 420
– 433
4 Lam Ho Thuc Trang (2025), Level of occupational burnout of preschool teachers in
the Central Highlands provinces – Considering ethnic variables, Journal of Ethnic Studies, Volume 14, Number 2, April – 2025, page 99 – 100.
5 Lam Ho Thuc Trang, Vu Thi Thanh Hien (2025), The Consequences of OccupationalBurnout on the Work of Preschool Teachers in the Central Highlands Provinces,
Proceedings of the 21st International Conference on Socio-economic and Enviromental Issues in Development, 11th June, 2025, page 3809
Trang 41 Reasons for choosing the topic
Career is an important part in the life of every person, because it can bring us income,self-esteem, opportunities for personal development and social status However, with thestrong vortex of modern society, work can also negatively affect people's physical and mentalhealth and cause them to fall into a state of exhaustion
Occupational burnout Syndrome is a serious work-related disorder of psychosocial origin,occurring when working conditions are too stressful for people to bear Many studies in the worldhave proven that occupational burnout affects both physical and mental health of people In 2019,Occupational Burnout Syndrome was recognized by the World Health Organization as apsychological disorder related to work and was included in the International Classification ofDiseases version 11 (ICD-11) This shows that occupational burnout is a serious problem ofmodern society, having a strong impact on the work and mental life of workers
The Occupational burnout condition of teachers has become a hot research topic sincethe end of the 20th century Studies on Occupational Burnout have been conducted in manycountries around the world, in which teaching is considered one of the most exhaustingprofessions for humans (Clipa & Boghean, 2015)
Preschool education is the first level of education in the Vietnamese national educationsystem The goal of preschool education is to "help children develop physically, emotionally,intellectually, aesthetically, form the first elements of personality, and prepare children forgrade 1" To achieve that goal, it is impossible not to mention the role of preschool teachers Thenature of the profession requires preschool teachers to simultaneously undertake many tasks:caring for, nurturing and educating children In addition, crowded classrooms, pressure fromparents and schools, pressure from competitions for making tools, excellent teachercompetitions, long working hours make teachers "overloaded" leading to the risk ofoccupational burnout In recent years, education and training in the Central Highlands haveachieved positive and remarkable results Preschool education has received much attention forinvestment and development However, in the Central Highlands, there are still manydifficulties and challenges, especially in remote communes and ethnic minority areas This hassignificantly affected the professional activities of preschool teachers, causing many teachers tobecome exhausted and creating an unprecedented wave of teachers quitting their jobs
In Vietnam today, research on occupational burnout in teachers in general and preschoolteachers in particular is not yet popular, so if research on occupational burnout in preschoolteachers in the Central Highlands will be able to provide useful information about thisrelatively new field, while supporting mental health care for teachers
From the above arguments, we chose to research the topic "Occupational burnout ofpreschool teachers in the Central Highlands provinces"
2 Research objectives
To build a theoretical framework on occupational burnout of preschool teachers, assessthe current situation and factors affecting occupational burnout of preschool teachers in theCentral Highlands provinces, thereby proposing some psychological and pedagogicalmeasures to reduce the level of occupational burnout for preschool teachers in the CentralHighlands provinces
3 Research subjects and objects
Trang 54 Scientific hypothesis
4.1 The level of occupational burnout of preschool teachers in the Central Highlandsprovinces is at an average level There is a difference between the level of occupationalburnout of preschool teachers in the Central Highlands provinces in general and the level ofaspects of occupational burnout according to demographic variables: school type, workingseniority, working location, ethnicity
4.2 The level of occupational burnout among preschool teachers in the CentralHighlands provinces is expressed in 4 aspects: emotional exhaustion, physical energydepletion, depersonalization, and feelings of decreased work efficiency
4.3 Occupational burnout causes consequences for preschool teachers in both personal andprofessional aspects Preschool teachers with different levels of occupational burnout perceive theconsequences of occupational burnout on their personal and professional aspects differently.4.4 There are many factors that affect occupational burnout, including factors related to theteacher himself, factors specific to the working object, work factors, factors related to the manager,and socio-economic conditions Of which, work factors have the strongest influence
4.5 It is possible to reduce occupational burnout in preschool teachers by the followingmeasures: Improving the labor regime, reasonable working conditions, suitable for preschoolteachers; Improving the ability to adapt to the profession for preschool teachers; Fostering mentalhealth self-care skills for preschool teachers; Fostering professional capacity for preschool teachers
6 Scope of the study
6.1 Limitations of the study content
Within the scope of this topic, we only focus on studying the level of manifestation ofoccupational burnout of preschool teachers expressed in four aspects: emotional exhaustion,physical resource depletion, depersonalization, feeling of decreased work efficiency;consequences of occupational burnout for preschool teachers and factors affectingoccupational burnout of preschool teachers
6.2 Limitations of the research object
The research topic was conducted on 414 teachers and 150 teachers in the pilot survey toevaluate the validity of the survey The in-depth interview sample included 39 teachers and 22managers working at public, private and non-public preschool in 3 regions I, II, III in 3 CentralHighlands provinces: Dak Lak, Dak Nong, Gia Lai
7 Approaches and research methods
7.1 Research approaches
7.1.1 Approaching professional activities
Professional burnout in preschool teachers is a negative psychological state formed inthe process of performing professional activities such as caring for, nurturing, and educatingchildren Therefore, research on professional burnout in preschool teachers cannot beseparated from the analysis of the specific professional activities they are performing, because
it is in there that the manifestations of professional burnout are clearly revealed
Trang 67.1.2 Pedagogical psychology approach
Occupational burnout is formed and expressed through the pedagogical work process of preschool teachers Compared to other levels of education, the pedagogical activities ofpreschool teachers have unique characteristics that no other level of education has Therefore,the study of occupational burnout in preschool teachers must be based on the pedagogicalpsychology approach of preschool teachers, thereby clarifying the relationship between thepurpose, object, tools, products, time and working space of preschool teachers and thephenomenon of occupational burnout in them
7.1.3 Systemic approach
Occupational burnout is a complete psychological structure, a system, includingcomponents that are organically related to each other Therefore, the study of occupationalburnout in preschool teachers must study its components in an organic relationship with eachother At the same time, it is necessary to have a comprehensive and comprehensive view ofthe influencing factors as well as the ways in which preschool teachers is formed anddeveloped in the professional activities of preschool teachers
7.1.4 Developmental approach
The study recognizes that occupational burnout in preschool teachers is not a stable,unchanging psychological phenomenon but is always changing under the influence of manypersonal and social factors Therefore, when assessing occupational burnout in preschool teachers,
it is necessary to consider the process of its formation, birth, existence and development Theassessment of occupational burnout should not be based solely on measurement indicators at asingle point in time, but should consider the entire development process of this phenomenonthroughout the process of nurturing, caring for, and educating children of preschool teachers.7.1.5 Interdisciplinary approach
Research on occupational burnout in preschool teachers is inseparable from otherscientific disciplines such as psychology, pedagogy, sociology, philosophy, medicine, etc.Therefore, an interdisciplinary approach allows understanding the research problem frommany different aspects For example, the relationship between stress, occupational pressure,occupational emotional decline, etc and the state of occupational burnout; the constantupdates and changes in educational models, content, methods, educational means, etc and theinfluence of the educational environment on preschool teachers; the impact of social context,social expectations and social policies on the profession of preschool teachers; consequences
of occupational burnout on the mental and physical health of teachers
7.1.6 Approaching specific history
Human psychology and personality are the results of the process of acquiring historicaland social experiences that become one's own Occupational burnout is a psychologicalphenomenon, so it is also subject to the constraints of personal and community history.Therefore, when studying occupational burnout in preschool teachers, we carefully considerthe relationship between exhaustion and the living environment, working area, workingconditions of teachers, especially the factors of ethnic and regional culture
7.2 Research methods
The thesis uses the following research methods: Document research method,questionnaire survey method, in-depth interview method, observation method, case studymethod, data processing method using mathematical statistics
8 New contributions of the thesis
8.1 Theoretical contributions
Occupational burnout is a relatively new research topic in psychology Most previousstudies on occupational burnout are mainly based on standard models and scales, developed
Trang 7by pioneering researchers in this field to assess the level of burnout of workers in manydifferent industries This study inherits the theoretical foundations and measurement methodsfrom previous works, and develops them to suit a specific profession (preschool teacher), with
a specific research object (preschool teacher), in a research area with its own specificcharacteristics (the Central Highlands provinces)
The thesis has systematized and built a theoretical framework on occupational burnout
of preschool teachers, operationalized the conceptual structure of occupational burnout ofpreschool teachers into measurable indicators; identified specific manifestations ofoccupational burnout of preschool teachers Through factor analysis, the topic has determinedthe reliability and validity of the occupational burnout scale including 4 components ofemotional exhaustion, physical resource depletion, depersonalization, and feelings ofdecreased work efficiency This is a new result, never published before
In addition, the thesis also determined 5 levels of occupational burnout of preschool teachers based on the normal distribution This result can provide additional scientific basis for furtherstudies to divide the levels and criteria for assessing occupational burnout in many other diverseoccupational fields The thesis is one of the first studies on occupational burnout of preschoolteachers in Vietnam, contributing to concretizing and deepening the theoretical foundation ofoccupational burnout of teachers in general and preschool teachers in particular Therefore, thetheoretical research results of the topic can be a useful reference source for psychologists, preschoolmanagers, psychological consultants and preschool teachers themselves when studying this issue
8.2 Practical contributions
The research results of the thesis contribute to clarifying the level of occupational burnout,specifically describing the manifestations of occupational burnout and pointing out theconsequences of occupational burnout for preschool teachers in both personal and work aspects.These are important documents as a basis for educational managers in the use of human resources,and at the same time are a useful reference source for lecturers and students at preschool teachertraining institutions in the process of studying and teaching subjects related to occupationalpsychology and mental health of teachers
The thesis proposes a number of measures to impact pedagogical psychology to reduceoccupational burnout of preschool teachers in the Central Highlands provinces to help educationalmanagers refer to and choose measures suitable to the situation and characteristics of the school, therebylimiting the occurrence of burnout for teachers during the working process In addition, in the context ofthe Draft Law on Teachers being developed and submitted to the National Assembly for consideration,the contents of policies on protecting and attracting teachers; salary and benefits policies for teachers ingeneral and preschool teachers in particular are receiving a lot of attention from teachers across thecountry The survey and assessment of the current state of occupational burnout of preschool teachers inthe Central Highlands provinces; the consequences of occupational burnout on preschool teachers inboth personal and professional aspects as well as the study of factors affecting occupational burnout ofpreschool teachers have partly suggested some practical bases for policy makers and educationalmanagement agencies in the Central Highlands to consider when designing some programs to supportpreschool teachers in accordance with the current conditions of the region
9 Structure of the thesis
In addition to the introduction, conclusion, recommendations, list of references andappendixes, the thesis structure includes 3 chapters:
Chapter 1: Theory of occupational burnout in preschool teachers
Chapter 2: Research organization and methods
Chapter 3: Results of practical research on occupational burnout in preschool teachers inthe Central Highlands provinces
Trang 8CHAPTER 1: THEORY ON OCCUPATIONAL BURNOUT
OF PRESCHOOL TEACHERS
1.1 Overview of studies on occupational burnout of teachers
1.1.1 Studies on occupational burnout
1.1.1.1 Studies on the structure of occupational burnout
Most authors when studying occupational burnout focus on analyzing and understandingthe structure of occupational burnout Each author has a different view of occupationalburnout under a different structure The concept that is widely agreed and supported byauthors is the 3-component structure of Maslach & Jackson (1981) In addition to the 3-component structure, many authors also built other occupational burnout structural modelsincluding 1 component (Pines & Aronson, 1988), 2 components (Demerouti, Bakker,Vardako & Kantas, 2003), 4 components (Salanova et al., 2005; Gil Monte, 2005), 7components (Schaufeli, Desart & De Witte, 2020)
1.1.1.2 Studies on methods of measuring occupational burnout
Currently, there are many occupational burnout scales in the world Depending on theauthors with different research directions, different criteria and scales are built to assess theexpression of the level of occupational burnout The following typical scales can bementioned: Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) developed, tested and published bypsychologist Christina Maslach and colleagues, the Burnout Assessment Tool (BAT)introduced by Schaufeli et al (2020), the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI) developed byKristensen and colleagues (2005), and the Bergen Burnout Inventory (BBI) by Salmela‐Aro et
al (2011), Oldenburg Burnout Inventory (OLBI) designed and developed by Demerouti,Bakker, Vardako & Kantas (2003), Spanish Burnout Inventory (SBI) proposed by Gil Monte(2005), Shirom–Melamed Burnout Measure (SMBM) designed by Melamed et al (2006),Burnout Measure (BM) developed by Pines & Aronson (1988)
1.1.1.3 Studies on factors affecting occupational burnout
When studying the factors affecting occupational burnout, authors mainly research intwo directions: personal factors and factors related to the work of employees (Schaufeli &Enzmann, 1998; Maslach, Schaufeli, Leiter, 2001) Personal factors include: Demographiccharacteristics, personality, locus of control, type A behavior and ambition Work factorsinclude: Work overload, lack of autonomy and control at work, Inadequate rewards,Inequality at work, Disruption of relationships in the work community, Value conflicts
1.1.2 Studies on occupational burnout of teachers
1.1.2.1 Studies on the Differences in the Level of Professional Burnout in Teachers byDemographic Factors
In-depth studies have been published that have shown the level of occupational burnoutthat teachers suffer from The authors have demonstrated that there are differences in the level
of occupational burnout in teachers by demographic factors, and there are also cleardifferences between the three aspects of occupational burnout: emotional exhaustion,depersonalization, and feelings of reduced personal achievement
1.1.2.2 Studies on the Structure and Manifestations of Professional Burnout in TeachersMaslach, Jackson & Leiter (1996) suggested that the state of occupational burnout inteachers is expressed through three aspects: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, andfeelings of reduced personal achievement Inheriting the above research results, Skaalvik, E
M & Skaalvik, S (2010) continued to research and discovered that these three aspects existrelatively independently
Trang 9By using the partial decomposition method, Simbula & Guglielmi (2010) pointed out thefour-factor model of occupational burnout in teachers, in which the separate separation ofdepersonalization and cynicism aspects is more suitable than the three-factor model in whichdepersonalization and cynicism are combined into one factor Panagopoulos, Anastasiou &Goloni (2014); Alarcon, Eschelman & Bowling (2009) suggested that occupational burnout inteachers is a syndrome caused by prolonged stress in teachers, characterized by emotional,physical and attitudinal exhaustion Authors Tu & Nga (2020) divided the manifestations ofoccupational burnout in teachers into 3 groups: physical symptoms, mental exhaustion, andsevere decline in work capacity [299] Most studies have shown that not any single symptomcan be considered a sign of burnout However, a combination of different symptoms can be amanifestation of occupational burnout (Subon & Sigie, 2016).
Rankin (2023) suggests that although teacher burnout can manifest in different ways,signs include: Withdrawal from work, personal life, or what is going on around you; Cynicism
or apathy; Feelings of hopelessness, worthlessness, or lack of personal accomplishment;Irritability; Loss of enjoyment of work experiences; Decreased productivity or performance atwork; Emotional or physical exhaustion; Changes in sleep and/or appearance
1.1.2.3 Studies on the consequences of occupational burnout for teachers
1.1.2.3.1 Studies on the consequences of occupational burnout for teachers at the individual level
- Psychological consequences
Conley & You (2014) state that unlike other professions, teaching is emotionallyexhausting Therefore, teachers are more susceptible to occupational burnout than otheroccupations This is detrimental to teachers' physical and mental health and work performance
as well as their well-being and happiness as human beings This condition, if not addressed,will persist and gradually spread, causing them to suffer from serious mental andpsychological distress Maslach, Schaufeli & Leiter (2001) found a link between occupationalburnout and job satisfaction as well as a negative impact on teachers' experience of well-being.Padmanabhanunni & Pretorius (2023) studied teacher burnout in the Covid-19 era and found anegative impact of occupational burnout on indicators of psychological well-being, includingdepression, anxiety, hopelessness and suicidal ideation - Physical consequences
Salvagioni et al (2017) conducted a systematic review of prospective studies acrossmultiple databases to summarize the evidence on the consequences of occupational burnout.The results showed that occupational burnout was a significant predictor of the followingphysical consequences: hyperglycemia, hypercholesterolemia, increased diurnal cortisol levels,risk of type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, hospitalization for cardiovascular disorders,musculoskeletal pain, altered pain experience, increased risk of inflammation, increasedleukocyte adhesion, chronic fatigue, headaches, gastrointestinal problems, respiratoryproblems, major trauma, increased risk of infertility, and death under the age of 45
- Behavioral consequences
Maslach & Leiter (1999) suggest that teacher burnout, especially emotional exhaustionand depersonalization, leads to less engagement and effort in lesson preparation and lessappropriate social behavior toward students Burnout also leads to other behaviors such ascomplete absence from the classroom, increased criticism, and less encouragement andmotivation for students A review of 21 studies involving 5,267 teachers by Madigan et al.(2023) found that teachers who frequently experience symptoms of occupational burnout mayengage in unhealthy behaviors This can occur at work (smoking), at home (drinking, usingstimulants, pulling out hair, biting nails), or both (lack of exercise/physical inactivity, misuse
of sedatives) - Consequences on the quality of teachers' work and relationships
Trang 10According to Rudow (1999), the depersonalization associated with occupational burnoutweakens teachers' personal relationships (relationships with students, colleagues, principals,and parents) Teachers with occupational burnout will gradually lose their concern and warmfeelings when dealing with students That seriously affects students' behavior, motivation tolearn, and discipline Maslach & Leiter (1999) pointed out that if teachers suffer fromoccupational burnout, it will limit their initiative, creativity, reduce their motivation to learn,and reduce their personal abilities and achievements Gillespie et al (2001) emphasized thatthe reality of occupational burnout in teachers has the potential to have adverse effects on theschool experience, student achievement, and overall organizational success Grayson &Alvarez (2009) argued that occupational burnout causes teachers to have poor health, becomeeasily frustrated with students, become frustrated when they do not follow instructions, andhave negative views of students.
1.1.4.2 Studies on the consequences of occupational burnout for schools
According to Rudow (1999), teacher performance is difficult to measure, but it isreasonable that stressed and occupational burnout teachers work less effectively than othersbecause they have more inappropriate actions (scolding students, distorted perceptions, etc.) Inaddition, teachers with occupational burnout also often take time off from work (temporarily orpermanently), causing disruptions in personnel and organization, reducing the quality andreputation of the school, and even disintegrating the school organization Stewart (2015)reported that occupational burnout seriously affects the quality of education in schools becauseexhausted teachers cannot work hard, dedicate themselves, and commit to their profession
1.1.3 Overview of published studies and issues raised by the thesis that need to be further addressed
Through an overview of research documents on occupational burnout in teachers andpreschool teachers, we draw the following conclusions:
First, occupational burnout is a dynamic, multidimensional psychological structure, notfixed in a single dimension Second, the survey and assessment of occupational burnout ineach different profession and each different culture has its own distinct characteristics.Therefore, in each study, it is necessary to focus on building a research model and developing
a survey tool suitable for the specific profession as well as the research area From there, weidentified the issues that need further research in our thesis:
- We developed the model of occupational burnout of preschool teachers based on the component model (emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, feeling of decreased workefficiency) of Maslach & Jackson (1981), but with adjustments and additions Theconstruction of the new research model was carried out closely following the professionalactivities of preschool teachers and associated with the specific economic - cultural - socialcontext of Vietnam From the developed occupational burnout model, the thesis built anddesigned the occupational burnout scale
3 The study needs to focus on clarifying the characteristics of pedagogical work ofpreschool teachers associated with occupational burnout and the difficulties of preschoolteachers when working in the Central Highlands provinces
- Based on the standard distribution, the thesis needs to identify and evaluate the levels
of occupational burnout of preschool teachers in the Central Highlands provinces
- It is necessary to evaluate the consequences of occupational burnout for preschoolteachers in terms of personal and work
- Building some typical psychological portraits of Kinh and ethnic minority preschoolteachers suffering from occupational burnout in areas with relatively developed socio-economic conditions and areas with particularly difficult socio-economic conditions, thereby
Trang 11sharpening the quantitative research results and depicting an overall picture of occupationalburnout of preschool teachers in the Central Highlands provinces.
- Focusing on studying certain factors that affect occupational burnout of teachers
- Proposing and experimenting with some pedagogical psychological measures toreduce the occupational burnout of preschool teachers in the area
1.2 Professional activities of preschool teachers
1.2.1 Concept of preschool teachers
According to the Charter of Preschools: "Preschool teachers are those who perform thetask of nurturing, caring for, and educating children from 3 months to 6 years old in preschooleducational institutions"
1.2.2 Characteristics of preschool teachers' pedagogical work
Characteristics of professional activities of preschool teachers have the purpose ofworking closely with the goal of educating children from 0-6 years old, requiring not onlyteaching but also caring with love The main tool of labor is the personality of the teacher, butthe process of training qualities and abilities is long, time-consuming and laborious Theproduct of labor is the personality of the child, but having to stand between a huge amount ofwork on one side and ensuring accuracy in the work on the other side makes it impossible formany teachers to meet On the other hand, preschool teachers work at high intensity in smallspaces with loud noises If not properly arranged, it will affect their health and life
1.3 Occupational burnout in preschool teachers
1.3.1 Burnout and occupational burnout
1.3.1.1 The concept of burnout
Burnout is a state of emotional exhaustion, physical exhaustion, negative attitudes,cynicism, and a sense of decreased motivation and ability to complete any activity in thesubject's life
1.3.1.2 Concept of occupational burnout
Occupational burnout is a state of emotional exhaustion, physical exhaustion,depersonalization, and a sense of decreased work efficiency when performing occupationalactivities of the subject
1.3.1.3 Components of occupational burnout
In our opinion, the structure of occupational burnout includes the following 4 components:Emotional exhaustion, physical resource exhaustion, cynicism/depersonalization and a sense ofdecreased professional effectiveness
1.3.2 Occupational burnout of preschool teachers
1.3.2.1 Concept of occupational burnout of preschool teachers
Occupational burnout in preschool teachers is a state of emotional exhaustion, physicalresource depletion, depersonalization and a sense of decreased work efficiency when performingactivities of caring for, nurturing and educating children from 03 months to 6 years old ofpreschool teachers
1.3.2.2 Structure of occupational burnout of preschool teachers
- Emotional exhaustion: No longer interested in the current job; Disappointed withcurrent job; Hating current job; Regretting choosing this job; Fear when thinking about going
to work; Feeling that your job is too stressful; Sad, depressed every time you think aboutwork; Easily emotional when facing difficult situations at work; Not feeling joy in work -Physical resource depletion: Feeling drained of energy at the end of the working day; Tired,lethargic in the morning when facing a new working day; Feeling exhausted while organizingdaily activities to nurture, care for, and educate children; No more energy to take care ofyourself/family after work; Feeling that your current job is draining your energy
Trang 12- Depersonalization: Only considering children as objects of work, sometimes
"forgetting" that children are human beings with full basic rights; Feeling that you havebecome more insensitive and harsh when caring for, nurturing, and educating children; Beingindifferent in nurturing, caring for, and educating children; Ignoring or ignoring whenchildren encounter a problem; Causing physical and psychological harm to children; Notcaring about colleagues/parents when they need help; Being indifferent to comments fromcolleagues/parents/superiors on work-related issues - Feeling of decreased work efficiency:Feeling that you are not capable of nurturing, caring for, and educating children; Feelinguseless and incompetent when performing assigned tasks; Feeling that you cannot meet theneeds/wants/desires of children; Feeling helpless when handling situations that arise innurturing and caring for children; Feeling despised and pitied by colleagues/parents/superiors;Feeling that one's work is trivial and meaningless; Finding ways to avoid or refuse assignedtasks; Delaying the implementation of tasks
1.3.3 Consequences of occupational burnout for preschool teachers
1.3.3.1 Consequences for preschool teachers
- Psychological consequences: Prolonged stress and anxiety; Having a negative attitudetowards everything related to work; Feeling depressed and sad; Easily getting angry withchildren/colleagues/parents/superiors; Hating oneself; Having suicidal thoughts; Decreasedmotivation to work; Loss of enthusiasm for work; Loss of career ideals; Memory loss;Confusion/Lack of clarity; Absent-mindedness, difficulty concentrating; Poor ability toevaluate, judge, and perceive problems; Difficulty in making decisions
- Physical consequences: Headache; Nausea, dizziness, tinnitus; Stomach ache; Chestpain, rapid heartbeat; Muscle/bone/joint aches; Loss of appetite/anorexia/insatiable cravings;Insomnia/nightmares/sleeping too much; Dry throat/hoarse voice/speechless speech;Decreased sexual interest; Diarrhea/Constipation/Bloating; Menstrual disorders
- Behavioral consequences: Less active in caring for, nurturing, and educating children; Lessinvestment in preparing teaching materials, lesson plans; Often coming to work late/leaving early;Often taking time off (with or without permission); Doing work perfunctorily, coping
- Consequences on the quality of work and relationships of teachers: Negativelyaffecting children's experiences in activities organized by teachers; Negatively affectingchildren's physical development; Negatively affecting children's psychologicaldevelopment; Negatively affects children's mental health; Loss of interaction and createsdistance with children/colleagues/parents/managers; Conflicts with colleagues in theprocess of nurturing, caring for, and educating children as well as performing other tasksassigned by the school; Conflicts with children's parents in coordinating the nurturing,caring for, and educating children; Conflicts with the school's principal and management inthe process of performing work
1.3.3.2 Consequences for kindergartens
Causes internal disunity, divides the school community; Decreases the overall workingspirit of the whole school; Decreases the school's working efficiency; Makes the workingenvironment become negative; Affects the quality of care, nurturing, and education ofchildren of the school; Affects the reputation/image of the school; Affects the discipline, rules,and regulations of the school (When teachers are late, leave early); Causes disruption in theschool's personnel (When teachers quit their jobs, are absent)
1.4 Factors affecting occupational burnout of preschool teachers
1.4.1 Factors related to the teacher himself
1.4.1.1 Physical and mental health of preschool teachers: Poor physical health, Mentalhealth problems affect the burnout of teachers
Trang 131.4.1.2 Professional capacity of preschool teachers: Not timely updating newknowledge related to preschool education; Not forming new skills to meet job requirements;Not having a positive attitude towards the profession.
1.4.2 Factors related to the work of preschool teachers
1.4.2.1 Specific characteristics of the working subjects: Children are too young,immature, sensitive to external influences; Children do not have/have not mastered self-service skills; Children have inappropriate behaviors (crying, screaming, throwing tantrums,lying ); Children cannot express their needs and wishes; The class that the preschool teacher
is in charge of has children with disabilities who are integrated into the curriculum
1.4.2.2 Work overload: The number of children in the classroom is too large; Having toboth nurture, care for, educate, prevent diseases and ensure the safety of children; Having to
do a lot of work outside of the profession; Having to prepare too many tools and toys forteaching and education; Having to participate in too many competitions, cultural and sportsactivities organized by the school and the Departments, branches and sectors; Having toparticipate in studying, improving professional knowledge, training, updating preschooleducation programs; Having to do too many records and books; Having to mobilize children
1.4.2.5 The policy regime is not commensurate with the efforts of teachers: Low salary,not enough to cover living expenses; Teachers' contributions to work are not recognized andhonored properly; Lack of opportunities for learning, self-development, and careeradvancement; Poor living conditions of preschool teachers during work will have a significantimpact on the situation of occupational burnout of preschool teachers in the Central Highlandsprovinces
1.4.3 Socio-economic factors: Working far away, hard, dangerous; Makeshift classrooms,
poor and outdated educational facilities; Lack of teaching aids, toys, and equipment; Theschool where the teacher is working has many campuses; The classroom that the teacher is incharge of has many ethnic minority children; There are differences in language and culturebetween teachers and their students; The class that teachers are in charge of is a mixed class,with children of different ages
Trang 14Summary of Chapter 1
Overview of the research situation shows that there are many domestic and foreignresearch works on occupational burnout, however, there are not many research works onoccupational burnout of preschool teachers However, in Vietnam, to our knowledge, up tonow there have been very few research works on occupational burnout of preschool teachers,especially in the Central Highlands provinces
Based on the approach and inheritance of the views of previous authors, we have builtthe concept of occupational burnout of preschool teachers: Occupational burnout in preschoolteachers is a state of emotional exhaustion, physical resource depletion, depersonalization and
a sense of decreased work efficiency when performing activities of caring for, nurturing andeducating children from 03 months to 6 years old of preschool teachers
Occupational burnout of preschool teachers is manifested in the following four aspects: emotionalexhaustion, physical resource exhaustion, depersonalization, and a feeling of decreased work efficiency.Occupational burnout causes consequences not only for preschool teachers but also forthe school organization where the teachers are working
Occupational burnout of preschool teachers in the Central Highlands provinces isaffected by many factors such as: factors related to the teachers themselves, factors related tothe job and socio-economic factors
CHAPTER II: ORGANIZATION AND RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
2.1 Some features of the research area
The Central Highlands is one of the 6 socio-economic regions in Vietnam, including 5provinces: Gia Lai, Kon Tum, Dak Lak, Dak Nong and Lam Dong This is home to nearly 6million people from 53/54 ethnic groups nationwide, of which 2.2 million are ethnic minorities,accounting for more than 37.5% of the total population of the region The Central Highlands is aland of cultural quintessence and rich national identity However, the development of preschooleducation in this region still faces many difficulties and challenges such as: The planning of theschool network is not really scientific and effective, not ensuring a favorable learningenvironment for children; facilities, equipment, utensils, and toys do not meet the needs ofteaching and learning; the system of classrooms, toilets, and clean water facilities are notguaranteed, especially in remote districts; the socialization of education is still limited; thenumber of teachers leaving their jobs is increasing, causing a serious shortage of teachers atsome levels The rate of teachers who have not met the training standards according to the 2019Education Law is still high The implementation of policies and regimes for teachers who aremobilized, reinforced, or rotated from areas with favorable conditions to work in areas withespecially difficult socio-economic conditions encounters many difficulties
2.3 Research methods
Document research method, expert method, questionnaire survey method, in-depthinterview method, observation method, case study method, pedagogical experiment method