Analysis on Job Burnout of EFL University Teachers in Henan Province of China

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume IV, Issue III, March 2020 | ISSN 2454–6186

Analysis on Job Burnout of EFL University Teachers in Henan Province of China

 Yang Peng^1,2, Siti Maziha Mustapha^2
1College of Foreign Language, Pingdingshan University
²Faculty of Business, Information and Human Sciences, Infrastructure University Kuala Lumpur (IUKL)

Abstract—Job burnout refers to the sub-healthy living conditions that are produced by modern people when dealing with complex societies. In recent years, with the development of higher education and the reform of education system in China, English as a Foreign Language (EFL) university teacher are facing great challenges and experiencing great pressure and job burnout. However, very few researches have been done on the job burnout of university teachers, especially EFL university teachers in China. This study investigated the current situation of job burnout among EFL university teachers in Henan Province of China, and the differences in job burnout as related to demographic features.

Keywords: job burnout; EFL university teachers; emotional exhaustion; depersonalization; personal accomplishment; demographic features

I. INTRODUCTION

In China, there is increasing work-related pressure due to rapid social and economic development in recent years. Teaching is much more stressful than nursing, managerial jobs, and professional and support management (Evers, Brouwers & Tomic, 2002). According to the data released by Tencent and MyCOS (an education consulting firm) in 2016, about 80% of university and college teachers felt great pressure in China. Prolonged exposure to stressful work conditions can result in teacher job burnout (Platsidou, 2010). Therefore, job burnout has become an unavoidable problem. Job burnout can result in physical, emotional and psychological problems. Since the 1970s, researchers in psychological and educational fields have been studying job burnout of doctors, nurses, teachers and etc. Researchers have already developed important theoretical frameworks and achieved significant research findings (Maslach et al., 2001). While in China, the research on job burnout started rather late. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the current levels of job burnout among EFL university teachers in Henan Province of China. Through demographic data, this study also sought to examine the differences in job burnout as related to gender, age, years of teaching experience, professional title, the highest academic qualification, and marital status.

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