Are Beginning Teachers with a Second Degree at a Higher Risk of Early Career Burnout - Article 4

Oct 15, 2026

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This study examined whether holding a second university degree affects burnout reported by beginning teachers during their first year of employment. A mail survey was administered six weeks after starting full-time teaching (T1) and again six months later (T2), using the Educators Survey version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Forty five percent reported an additional second degree alongside their Bachelor of Education. MANOVA showed no significant T1 burnout differences, but at T2 higher burnout levels appeared on two of three MBI dimensions for those with a second degree, suggesting early developmental differences in burnout trajectories.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages11

Reading Time28 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Research design and participants

Burnout measurement (MBI)

Key findings at T1 and T2

Implications for teacher well-being

Australian Journal of Teacher Education | Volume 29 | Issue 1 | Article 4 | | --- | --- | 2004 Are Beginning Teachers with a Second Degree at a Higher Risk of Early Career Burnout. Richard Goddard Griffith University Patrick O'Brien University of Southern Queensland Recommended Citation Goddard, R., & O'Brien, P. (2004). Are Beginning Teachers with a Second Degree at a Higher Risk of Early Career Burnout.. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 29 (1). [http://dx.doi.org/10.14221/ajte.2004v29n1.4](http://dx.doi.org/10.14221/ajte.2004v29n1.4) This Journal Article is posted at Research Online. [http://ro.ecu.edu.au/ajte/vol29/iss1/4](http://ro.ecu.edu.au/ajte/vol29/iss1/4) ARE BEGINNING TEACHERS WITH A SECOND DEGREE AT A HIGHER RISK OF EARLY CAREER BURNOUT? Richard Goddard School of Human Services Griffith University Australia Patrick O’Brien Faculty of Education University of Southern Queensland Australia Abstract This study investigated the impact that holding a second university degree has on levels of burnout that is reported by beginning teachers during their first year of employment. This research formed part of an ongoing investigation that aims to identify important elements relating to teacher well-being during the transition from university to a teaching career. One hundred and twenty three teachers responded to a mail survey six weeks after they commenced full-time teaching (T1) and again six months later (T2) . On both occasions the survey included the Educators Survey version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI: Maslach, Jackson, & Leiter, 1996) . Forty five percent of respondents indicated that they held a second university degree in addition to their Bachelor of Education qualification when they registered as a teacher. A between-subjects MANOVA indicated that there were no significant differences in burnout scores between those respondents holding an additional university degree and those who only held the Bachelor of associated with the manifestation of debilitating symptoms which, over time, lead to significant reductions in the health and well-being of individuals who experience this phenomenon (Cordes & Dougherty, 1993; Kahill, 1988) . Thirdly, the detrimental impact that burnout has upon individual workers significantly Education degree at T1 . However, at T2, a similar analysis indicated that the group of respondents with a second degree had significantly higher burnout levels on two of the three MBI dimensions. These results suggest systematic differences may exist between the two categories of graduatesand that these differences may impact on the rate at which burnout develops during the first year of a teaching career. The most widely accepted definition of burnout stems from Maslach's assertion that burnout is “... a three dimensional syndrome of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment that occurs among individuals who work with people in some helping capacity” (Maslach, 1982, p. 3) . Based on a substantial research history spanning the past three decades, several major conclusions about burnout are well accepted. Firstly, burnout, as the chronic end state of an unadaptive response to persistent (job) stress, is an enduring condition for the individual who experiences burnout (Maslach & Goldberg, 1998) . Secondly, burnout is directly impacts on the quality of service that is delivered by the organisation employing workers who are burnt out (Cherniss, 1995; Maslach & Leiter, 1997; Maslach & Goldberg, 1998) . As further evidence underscoring the significance of these findings for human service workers and the organisations that employ them, burnout is now accepted as a serious health and safety concern in a number of human service professions including teachers. Although the burnout phenomenon has been studied across a wide range of professions, cultures and time frames over the past thirty years, substantial gaps

FAQs

What does the study investigate about beginning teachers?

It investigates whether holding a second university degree is associated with higher levels of burnout during beginning teachers’ first year of employment.

How were burnout levels measured in this research?

Burnout was measured using the Educators Survey version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI).

Did teachers with a second degree show different burnout results at T1 and T2?

At T1, between-subjects analysis showed no significant differences. At T2, the second-degree group showed significantly higher burnout on two of the three MBI dimensions.

Oct 15, 2026

Upload by Jasmine