Skip to main content
Log in

Work and family precursors of burnout in teachers: Sex differences

  • Published:
Sex Roles Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This paper examines factors contributing to burnout in women and men teachers. Results indicated that men were significantly higher than women on one of the Maslach burnout subscales—depersonalization. Additional results showed that women experienced significantly more depression, headaches, and role conflict than their male counterparts. Multiple regression results indicated that 47% of the variation in burnout was accounted for by a model of burnout that included role conflict, marital satisfaction, work sources of stress, and social support in women. But in men, the main contributor to burnout was sources of stress including doubts about competence and problems with students. The results are discussed from a gender role perspective that takes account of the differential implications of gender roles for women and men.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bryson, J. B., & Bryson, R. A. Dual-career couples. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 1978, 3, entire issue.

  • Burke, R. J., Shearer, J., & Deszca, E. Burnout among men and women in police work: An examination of the Cherniss model. Journal of Health and Human Resources Administration, 1984, 7, 162–188.

    Google Scholar 

  • Caplan, R. D., Cobb, S., French, J. R. P., Jr., Van Harrison, R., & Pinneau, S. R. Job demands and worker health: Main effects and occupational differences. Washington D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1975.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cherniss, C. Professional burnout in human service organizations. New York: Praeger, 1980.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cleary, P., & Mechanic, D. Sex differences in psychological distress among married people. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 1983, 24, 111–121.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cobb, S. Social support as a moderater of life stress. Psychomatic medicine, 1976, 5, 300–317.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cortis, G. A. The assessment of a group of teachers in relation to earlier career experience. Educational Review, 1973, 25, 112–123.

    Google Scholar 

  • Derogatis, L. R., Lipman, R. S., Rickels, K., Uhlenhuth, E. H., & Cori, L. The Hopkins Symptom Checklist (HSCL): A self report symptom inventory. Behavioral Science, 1979, 19, 1–15.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dytell, R. S., Paradine, P., & Napoli, A. Importance of occupational and nonoccupational stress among professional men and women. Paper presented at the meetings of the Eastern Psychological Association, Philadelphia, 1985.

  • Etzion, D., & Pines, A. (1981). Sex and culture as factors explaining reported coping behavior and burnout of human service professionals. A social psychological perspective. Tel Aviv: Tel Aviv University, The Israel Institute of Business Research, 1981.

    Google Scholar 

  • Forgionne, G. A., & Peeters, V. E. Difference in job motivation and satisfaction among female and male managers. Human Relations, 1982, 35, 101–118.

    Google Scholar 

  • Freudenberger, H. J. Staff burn-out. Journal of Social Issues, 1974, 30, 159–165.

    Google Scholar 

  • Freudenberger, H. J. The staff burn-out syndrome in alternative institutions. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice, 1975, 12, 73–82.

    Google Scholar 

  • Golembiewski, R. T., & Scicchitano, M. Some demographics of burnout. Interpersonal Journal of Public Administration, 1983, 54, 435–448.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gordon, F. E., & Hall, D. T. Self-image and stereotypes of femininity: Their relationship to women's role conflicts and coping. Journal of Applied Psychology, 1974, 59, 241–243.

    Google Scholar 

  • Greenfeld, S., Greiner, L., & Wood, M. M. The “feminine mystique” in male dominated jobs. A comparison of attitudes and background factors of women in male-dominated versus female-dominated jobs. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 1980, 17, 291–309.

    Google Scholar 

  • Greenglass, E. R. Psychological implications of sex bias in the workplace. Academic Psychology Bulletin, 1985, 7, 227–240.

    Google Scholar 

  • Haynes, S., Feinleib, M., & Kannel, W. B. The relationship of psychosocial factors to coronary heart disease in the Framingham Study III. Eight year incidence of coronary heart disease. American Journal of Epidemiology, 1980, 3, 37–58.

    Google Scholar 

  • Holahan, C. K., & Gilbert, L. A. Interrole conflict for working women: Careers versus jobs. Journal of Applied Psychology, 1979, 64, 86–90.

    Google Scholar 

  • House, J. S. Work stress and social support. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley, 1981.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jick, T. D., & Mitz, L. F. Sex differences in work stress. The Academy of Management Review, 1985, 10(3), 408–420.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kanter, R. M. Men and women of the corporation. New York: Basic Books, 1977.

    Google Scholar 

  • King, M., Murray, M. A., & Atkinson, T. Background, personality, job characteristics, and satisfaction with work in a national sample. Human Relations, 1982, 35, 119–133.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marx-Ferree, M. The conflused American housewife. Psychology Today, 1976, 10, 76–80.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maslach, C. Burnout: The cost of caring. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1982.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maslach, C., & Jackson, S. E. Lawyer burn-out. Barrister, 1978, 5, 52–54.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maslach, C., & Jackson, S. E. The measurement of experienced burnout. Journal of Occupational behavior, 1981, 2, 99–113.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maslach, C., & Jackson, S. E. The role of sex and family variables in burnout. Sex Roles, 1985, 12, 837–851.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maslach, C., & Jackson, S. E. Maslach Burnout Inventory Manual (2nd ed.). Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press, 1986.

    Google Scholar 

  • Meissner, M., Humphreys, E. W., Meis, S. M., & Scheu, W. J. No exit for wives: Sexual division of labour and the circulation of household demands. Canadian Review of Sociology and Anthropology, 1975, 12, 424–439.

    Google Scholar 

  • Orden, S. R., & Bradburn, N. M. Dimensions of marriage happiness. American Journal of Sociology, 1968, 73, 715–731.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pines, A., & Kafry, D. Occupational tedium in the social service profession. Social Work, 1978, 23, 499–507.

    Google Scholar 

  • Price, L. W. Organizational stress and job satisfaction in public high school teachers. (Ph.D. thesis Stanford University.) Dissertation Abstracts International, 1970, 31, (11-A), 5727–8.

    Google Scholar 

  • Quinn, R. P., & Shepard, L. J. The 1972–1973 Quality of Employment Survey: Descriptive statistics, with comparison data from the 1969–70 survey of working conditions. Ann Arbor, MI: Institute for Social Research, 1974.

    Google Scholar 

  • Robinson, J., Juster, T., & Stafford, F. Americans use of time. Ann Arbor, MI: Institute for Social Research, 1976.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schwab, R. L., & Iwanicki, E. F. Who are our burned out teachers? Educational Research Quarterly, 1982, 7(2), 5–16.

    Google Scholar 

  • Standley, K., & Soule, B. Women in male-dominated professions: Contrasts in their personal and vocational histories. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 1974, 4, 245–258.

    Google Scholar 

  • U.S. Bureau of the Census. Public school employment by occupation, sex and race: 1974 and 1980 No. 229. In Statistical Abstract of the United States (106th ed.). Washington, D.C., 1986.

  • Wilson, C. F. Stress profile for teachers. San Diego: Department of Education, San Diego county, 1979.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

This research was supported by grants from York University including the Faculties of Arts and Administrative Studies. We would like to thank Jacob Wolpin for assitance in the data analyses.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Greenglass, E.R., Burke, R.J. Work and family precursors of burnout in teachers: Sex differences. Sex Roles 18, 215–229 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00287791

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00287791

Keywords

Navigation