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. 2011 Dec 22;6(1):37.
doi: 10.1186/1745-6673-6-37.

Burnout hazard in teachers results of a clinical-psychological intervention study

Ralf Wegner  1 , Peter Berger, Bernd Poschadel, Ulf Manuwald, Xaver Baur
Affiliations

Burnout hazard in teachers results of a clinical-psychological intervention study

Ralf Wegner et al. J Occup Med Toxicol. .

Abstract

Background: The study investigates whether established in-patient therapy for teachers with burnout results in long-acting success and whether gender gaps and differences between teachers of different school levels exist. According to our knowledge, our study is the most extensive inpatient intervention study on the burnout of a defined occupational group, i.e., teachers.

Methods: 200 teachers participated, 150 took part in a later performed katamnestic survey.The Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) was used and work-related data were recorded. The days of incapacity for work and the percentage of teachers endangered by burnout decreased, which supports the long-term success of the treatment.

Results: Significant differences between males and females and between teacher levels were found. However, the differences between teacher levels only showed up before treatment. Because males only underwent treatment at a more severe stage, further efforts in persuading males to start therapy earlier are needed.

Conclusions: The proven and long-term success of the performed intervention could have greater effects if people, especially males, undergo treatment more frequently. Our results are based on selectively high proposition of teachers of advanced age. Thus it is possible that the long term effect of the intervention, particularly on retirement age, is greater when the intervention is started earlier. Regular burnout tests could help to identify risk cases among teachers at an early stage and to offer a therapeutic intervention.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Rates of main diagnoses in the examined groups of teachers.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Age classification of retired and active teachers on the follow-up two years after the therapy, with ratio of retired teachers.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Percentages of the MBI-subscales in all members of the follow-up study in comparison to their scores during the first study. m: males. f: females.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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