The relationships between burnout profiles, teacher agency, and meaningful work of special education teachers

Abstract

Burnout is an increasing issue among special education teachers (SETs), impacting students, the education system, and society. This study aimed to identify burnout profiles of SETs and explore the relationship between these profiles and the levels of teacher agency and meaningful work. Latent profile analysis was used to define burnout profiles as assessed by the three dimensions of the Maslach Burnout Inventory. The data was collected from SETs (n = 258) in the Turkey sample through an online survey. Five burnout profiles were identified: (1) Burnout (31%), (2) Disengaged (9%), (3) Overextended (25%), (4) Inefficacy (15%), and (5) Engagement (20%). Each burnout profile was associated with a different pattern of teacher agency and meaningful work. The results showed that the burnout profile corresponds to a relatively high number of SETs. Unlike previous studies, high levels of meaningful work (OR = 5.48) increased the odds of being classified in the burnout profile. Additionally, the level of teacher agency in the burnout profile was higher than in the other profiles. Albeit limited, the results suggested that the majority of the SETs require support through interventions to reduce burnout symptoms and enhance overall well-being.