A systematic review of longitudinal changes in school burnout among adolescents: Trajectories, predictors, and outcomes

INTRODUCTION: School burnout (SBO) is a public health issue with possible long-term consequences that occurs among developing adolescents. To design prevention policies, SBO's causes and consequences must be established. Moreover, a better understanding of its development might help identify key moments for interventions. Longitudinal studies can reveal whether SBO changes or remains stable over time and can track how its different dimensions develop. They can also clarify the distinction between the predictors and outcomes of SBO. METHODS: This systematic review follows PRISMA guidelines and aims to synthesize knowledge about the development of SBO and its predictors and outcomes. We queried databases for articles published between January 2002 and February 2021 that use a quantitative assessment of SBO and have longitudinal designs using students in secondary education. RESULTS: Forty-three articles representing 48 studies were included in this review. The most-documented risk factors are female gender and high school academic track. Exhaustion is the first dimension of SBO to develop. The most-documented risk factors are female gender and high school academic track. Relationships with parents serve as a protective factor. Outcomes of SBO include lower engagement at school, impaired identity development, and lower satisfaction with life. Complex relationships are found between SBO, problematic use of internet, problematic use of social media, and depressive symptoms. The three are likely to be caused by SBO but probably develop in vicious cycles. CONCLUSION: More research on the organizational factors influencing SBO in diverse educational systems is needed.