Uncovering the Emotional Exhaustion of PTN-BH Lecturers - The Impact of Workload, Interpersonal Relationships, and Change-Related Communication

Sep 10, 2026

Uploaded by Himbo

Emotional exhaustion among academics is increasingly prevalent, with over 50% of lecturers in Indonesia reporting emotional fatigue. Legal-entity higher education institutions (PTN-BH) carry high autonomy alongside heavy tridarma responsibilities and performance demands, yet often lack sufficient financial and emotional support. This study examines work-related stressors—workload, interpersonal relationships, and change-related communication—and their contribution to emotional exhaustion, applying the Job Demands–Resources theory through a moderated multiple regression analysis.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages19

Reading Time48 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Emotional exhaustion and its significance

Job stressors and theoretical framing

Method

Study design and participants

Data analysis approach

Results and findings

Effects of workload and change-related communication

Role of interpersonal relationships and self-leadership

Implications

Recommendations to reduce emotional exhaustion

Uncovering the emotional exhaustion of PTN-BH lecturers: The impact of workload, interpersonal relationships, and changerelated communication Noor I'anah,1 Dian Ratna Sawitri,2 Debora Eflina Purba,1 and Corina D. Riantoputra1* 1 Faculty of Psychology, University of Indonesia, Depok, Indonesia 2 Faculty of Psychology, Diponegoro University, Semarang, Indonesia ABSTRACT Background: Emotional fatigue is a growing concern among academics, with over 50% of lecturers in Indonesia experiencing emotional exhaustion. Perguruan Tinggi Negeri Berbadan Hukum (PTN-BH) face high autonomy along with heavy tridarma responsibilities and performance pressures, often without adequate financial or emotional support. Research focusing specifically on PTN-BH lecturers remains limited. Purpose: To examine work-related stressors—workload, interpersonal relationships, and change-related communication—that contribute to emotional exhaustion among PTN-BH lecturers, using the Job Demands– Resources theory (55.9% female; Mage = 42.54; SDage = 10.6) . Method: A cross-sectional survey was conducted involving 306 PTN-BH lecturers in Indonesia (55.9% female; Mage = 42.54; SDage = 10.6) . Data were analyzed using moderated multiple regression in IBM SPSS version 25. Findings: Workload and change-related communication showed significant effects on emotional exhaustion. In contrast, interpersonal relationships and the moderating role of self-leadership were not statistically significant. Implication: Addressing excessive workload and improving communication during organizational changes are essential to reduce emotional exhaustion and promote well-being among PTN-BH lecturers. KEYWORDS Emotional exhaustion, workload, lecturer, PTNBH, change. ARTICLE HISTORY Received 8 May 2025 Revised 21 August 2025 Accepted 22 October 2025 Introduction An appropriate working environment is fundamental for supporting workers’ mental health (World Health Organization [WHO], 2024) . Survey data from 28 countries show that problems related to working environment conditions increased over the 10 years prior to the survey (Eurofound, 2019). In recent decades, significant changes in the higher education sector have led to an increase in work stressors affecting academics’ mental health (Kinman & Johnson, 2019) . Reports indicate that 55% of lecturers in the UK experience chronic emotional exhaustion (Dougal et al., 2021) . The figure is even higher in the United States at 63%(Vyletel et al., 2023) . A study of a small sample of lecturers in Indonesia showed that 56.3% of lecturers experienced high levels of emotional exhaustion (Wayanti, 2016) . Emotional exhaustion is defined as “feelings of being emotionally overextended and exhausted by one ’s work. “It is manifested by both physical fatigue and a sense of feeling psychologically and emotionally ‘drained’”(Wright & Cropanzano, 1998, p. 486). Early detection of emotional exhaustion is crucial for preventing the development of more serious mental health problems. Emotional exhaustion is the most common form of psychological fatigue experienced by individuals across various work environments (Turgut et al., 2016). Emotional exhaustion is an early indicator of mental health disorders and presents an opportunity for more effective interventions before its effects become widespread (Dobson & Schnall, 2018; Huang et al., 2025) . Work stressors among lecturers are strongly correlated with high levels of emotional exhaustion (Watts & Robertson, 2011) . Emotional exhaustion is influenced by both individual and situational work-related factors. Job situational factors or job stressors include job demands and resources. A review of the literature indicates that academics’ job stressors contribute to high levels of emotional exhaustion (Watts & Robertson, 2011) . Trend analyses show increasing pressure from work stressors in the UK’s higher education sector (Wray & Kinman, 2020). The identified stressors includ

FAQs

What factors contribute to emotional exhaustion among PTN-BH lecturers in this study?

The study identifies workload and change-related communication as significant contributors to emotional exhaustion among PTN-BH lecturers.

How was emotional exhaustion investigated in the research?

A cross-sectional survey involved 306 PTN-BH lecturers, and data were analyzed using moderated multiple regression in IBM SPSS version 25.

Did interpersonal relationships and self-leadership significantly affect emotional exhaustion?

No. Interpersonal relationships and the moderating role of self-leadership were not statistically significant in the study’s findings.

Sep 10, 2026

Uploaded by Himbo