Understanding burnout among special education teachers: an exploratory structural equation model in a burnout high risk profession

Purpose The present study was intended to investigate the relationship between teachers’ self-efficacy, sentiments and concerns toward disability and burnout in pre-service special education teachers. Design/methodology/approach Three hundred seventy-two special education teachers participated in the study. Participants were administered the following self-reports: Teacher Efficacy for Inclusive Practices, Sentiments and Concerns Scale and Maslach Burnout Inventory-Educators Survey. Structural equation modelling (SEM) is used to examine the study’s hypotheses. Findings SEM analysis showed the role of teachers’ concerns as a mediator for teacher efficacy in inclusive practices for emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. Furthermore, the findings showed a significant association between teacher efficacy in inclusive practices, sentiments and concerns and each dimension of burnout. In addition, significant relations between teachers’ concerns, emotional exhaustion and depersonalization were clear. Research limitations/implications The results of this study suggest the importance of promoting special education teachers’ self-efficacy to change negative attitudes and prevent burnout. Originality/value This study extends the current literature on special education teachers and provides new information on the relationship between self-efficacy, attitudes and burnout.