Correlates of burnout among Indian primary school teachers

Purpose This study aims to examine the correlates of burnout among primary school teachers working with public schools in Chhattisgarh-India. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 713 teachers using a questionnaire survey. Using partial least square path modeling, this study tests the proposed measurement and structural model. Findings The study confirmed that general job demands and emotional job demands in a school environment significantly correlated with burnout, which, in turn, has increased somatic symptoms and decreased pro-social behavior among teachers. However, the association of burnout with absenteeism was insignificant. Emotional intelligence (EI) was found to buffer the adverse associations of general job demands and emotional job demands on burnout. Practical implications The findings of this study demonstrate that EI has buffering effects on high job demands that consequently reduce burnout. This will help educators and policymakers in shaping and formulating effective policies and practices to deal with burnout. Originality/value Earlier studies exploring burnout of primary school teachers, especially in the Indian context, had focused exclusively on demographic factors. This study is an early attempt to understand the impact of contextual factors on burnout thereby helping in designing appropriate interventions thereof. This study additionally rationalizes the unexplored association of burnout with pro-social behavior among educators.