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. 2023 Aug 24;10(9):1443.
doi: 10.3390/children10091443.

Student Burnout in Children and Adolescents: The Role of Attachment and Emotion Regulation

Ioana Alexandra Iuga  1   2 , Oana Alexandra David  2   3 , Marie Danet  4   5
Affiliations

Student Burnout in Children and Adolescents: The Role of Attachment and Emotion Regulation

Ioana Alexandra Iuga et al. Children (Basel). .

Abstract

In an effort to explain the factors contributing to the development of student burnout, a construct that has received attention in relation to academic outcomes, including burnout, is emotion regulation. Further, attachment theory has been used to explore the variations in the use of particular emotion regulation strategies, and attachment has received support as a contributing factor. The aim of the study is to explore the role of attachment security and emotion regulation strategies associated with student burnout symptoms in a sample of 602 Romanian children and adolescents (55% female) aged 8-16 (M = 10.45) from 18 schools. A secondary objective was to explore the gender differences in burnout symptoms. The results show that attachment security negatively predicts student burnout symptoms. Further, a higher attachment security positively predicts the use of adaptive emotion regulation strategies, which, in turn, are negatively related to student burnout. Emotion regulation strategies mediate the relationship between attachment and burnout symptoms. No gender differences have been identified. The study has practical implications for both parents and specialists, bringing to attention the importance of secure attachment in children, which could further encourage the use of adaptive emotion regulation strategies.

Keywords: attachment security; gender differences; middle school; regulation strategies; school burnout.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Path diagram. Note. The upper level of the figure presents the student burnout symptoms, followed by the emotion regulation strategies in the middle level and attachment security on the bottom level.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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