Teacher Education: Burnout, Depersonalization and Cynicism

The present study focuses on the relationship between feelings of self-transcendence, self-distance, freedom, responsibility, and burnout among high school English teachers. The research was carried out on a sample of 47 high school English teachers by the help of three questionnaires as instruments. The results of the study indicate that the highest significantly positive correlation exists between emotional/mental exhaustion and responsibility, and the lowest significantly positive correlation exists between emotional/mental exhaustion and self-transcendence. The correlation between emotional/mental exhaustion and self-actualization is also very significant, but the relationship is negative denoting an inverse relationship. The highest significantly positive correlation exists between depersonalization/cynicism and responsibility. On the other hand, the lowest significantly positive correlation exists between depersonalization/cynicism and freedom. The correlation between depersonalization/cynicism and self-actualization is also very significant, but the relationship is negative (r = -.452) denoting an inverse relationship. Personal accomplishment is only significantly correlated with self-actualization. The highest significantly positive correlation exists between total burnout and responsibility, and the lowest significantly positive correlation exists between total burnout and self-transcendence. Single teachers have significantly higher depersonalization/cynicism and total burnout scores than married teachers.