Montenegro Special Education Teaching Staff Burnout: Survey Study

Objective The aim of this paper is to describe the burnout among special education teach¬ing staff and to determine its relationship with environmental factors of working ambient. Method A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2006. Questionnaires were distributed to a convenience sample of 224 special education teaching staff employed at each of five Montenegro public institutions for persons who have a variety of disabilities. The response rate was 75% (n = 162). Data were collected using the Oc¬cupational Stress Questionnaire and Maslach Burnout Questionnaire. Results: Most of the interviewed participants were satisfied with their jobs due to the opportunity to make a positive difference in the lives of students with special needs. A high level of emotional exhaustion was detected in 60%, a high level of depersonalization was found in 53%, and reduced level of personal accomplishment was found in 38% of special education teach¬ing staff. Low level of satisfaction with owns health state was associated with emotional exhaustion (p=0.240, p-value 0.025) and depersonalization among all participants (P=0.218, p-value 0.041). Low level of job satisfaction predicted decrease of personal accomplishment among male partici¬pants, work being mentally strenuous and possibility to use knowledge and skills in work among female participants (n= 128). Conclusion The special education teaching staff member have very high level of risk for burnout. In view of the results obtained, to reduce professional burnout in special educa¬tion teaching staff organizational environ¬ment should be improved and introduce to workplace health promotion intervention (a salutogenic approach) for employees.