Investigating Links Between Teacher Self-Efficacy and Burnout: The Influence of Negative Student-Teacher Interactions

• In Event: Poster Session 14
  In Poster Session: PS 14 Topic - Education, Schooling

Abstract

While research suggests a strong positive association between teacher self-efficacy and teacher burnout (Skaalvik and Skaalvik, 2010; Skaalvik and Skaalvik, 2007; Pas, Bradshaw & Hershfeldt, 2012), we know little about the factors that influence this relationship. Given that the classroom is a dynamic setting in which teachers, students, and the environment all influence one another it is likely that classroom factors play a role in this relation (Bronfenbrenner, 2006). The objective of this study is to examine the extent to which the relation between teacher self-efficacy in instructional teaching strategies and teacher burnout, specifically teacher’s feelings of personal accomplishment, is influenced by negative interactions between teachers and students. Importantly, we examine teacher interactions with students identified as at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD), as teacher interactions with these students are rated by teachers as very challenging and are connected to teacher burnout and attrition (Cancio et al., 2013). Findings will increase our understanding of factors contributing to teacher burnout and highlight areas for administrators to support teachers of students with EBD.
Participating teachers (N=26) taught grades K-3, were female, just under the majority were Black/African American (43%). Schools consisted predominantly of Black/African American students (range by school 94%-98%) from an urban community (free and reduced lunch range by school = 82%-96%). Teachers were randomized into intervention or control condition as part of a larger intervention. The current study controls for study condition. Teachers completed measures and observations were conducted at the beginning and end of the school year.
Teacher self-efficacy was measured with the Teaching Self-Efficacy Scale (TSES; Tschannen-Moran, et. al., 2001) at the beginning of the year. Burnout was measured with the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI; Maslach, et. al., 1986) at the end of the year. Student-teacher interactions were measured with a momentary time sampling observation system, the Teacher-Student Interaction System (TSIS), at the beginning of the year. A negative student-teacher interaction was defined as an interaction where either the student or teacher exhibited negative behavior during an interaction. This included verbal or non-verbal signs from the teacher expressing frustration or anger and disruptive behavior from the student (e.g. teacher delivering a negative comment towards the student, student shouting at the teacher). The proportion of negative interactions between a teacher and student was used to represent negative student-teacher interactions.
We tested one generalized linear model, which included the interaction between instructional strategies efficacy and the proportion of negative student-teacher interactions (Table 1). Results revealed a significant interaction effect between instructional strategies self-efficacy and the proportion of negative student-teacher interactions. Simple slopes depicting this association at 1 SD above and below for negative student-teacher interactions revealed positive relations between instructional strategy efficacy and personal accomplishment at high and low levels of negative student-teacher interactions. Findings suggest that while teachers with higher instructional strategy efficacy are affected by high negative interactions, the effect is increased for teachers with low instructional strategy efficacy leading to lower levels of personal accomplishment compared to teachers who experience lower levels of negative interactions.

Authors

• Brandon-Lee Douglas Lucas, Virginia Commonwealth University
  Presenting Author

• Kristen Granger, Vanderbilt University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Kevin Sutherland, Virginia Commonwealth University
  Non-Presenting Author