Exploring Teacher Burnout: A Comprehensive Study of Causes and Solutions
Keywords:
Teacher burnout, Teacher well-being, mental health, classroom performance
Abstract
Teacher burnout is a growing concern in the education field, significantly impacting educators’ well-being, job satisfaction, and students' performance. This study explores the causes of teacher burnout in Nepalese schools and proposes practical solutions to mitigate its effects. Using a narrative inquiry approach, the research gathered detailed qualitative data from four school teachers and two teacher educators through a random sampling method. The results showed that excessive workload, lack of administrative support, financial stress, students' behavioral problems, and socio-cultural expectations are significant factors contributing to burnout. Teachers reported that emotional exhaustion lowers motivation and raises absenteeism, which negatively affects classroom effectiveness. The study also emphasizes the negative correlation between teachers' burnout and students' academic success, underscoring the need for targeted interventions. Suggested solutions include managing workload effectively, implementing professional development programs, offering mindfulness training, promoting wellness initiatives, and fostering a supportive work environment. The research highlights the significance of institutional and policy-level changes in enhancing teacher well-being and, consequently, improving educational quality. This work contributes to the limited research on teacher burnout in Nepal and provides practical recommendations for educators, administrators, and policymakers to foster a more sustainable and motivating teaching career.
References
.Alsalhe, T. A., Chalghaf, N., Guelmami, N., Azaiez, F., & Bragazzi, N. L. (2021). Occupational burnout prevalence and its determinants among physical education teachers: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 15, 553230.
American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Employers need to focus on workplace burnout: Here's why. https://www.apa.org/topics/healthy-workplaces/workplace-burnout
Arens, A. K., & Morin, A. J. (2016). Relations between teachers’ emotional exhaustion and students’ educational outcomes. Journal of educational psychology, 108(6), 800.
Caine, G., & Caine, R. N. (2010). Strengthening and enriching your professional learning community: The art of learning together. Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Călin, M. F., Tasențe, T., & Seucea, A. (2022). The effects of burnout on the professional activity of teachers. Technium Social Sciences Journal, 34, 430–440.
Calm. (2025, April 21). What is burnout? 22 signs you're facing it (and how to recover). https://www.calm.com/blog/beat-burnout
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). Module 2: Organizational strategies to prevent burnout [Webpage]. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/learning/publichealthburnoutprevention/module- 2/outline.html
Clandinin, D.J.(2013).Engaging in narrative inquiry. Routledge
Clandinin, D.J. & Connelly, F.M.(2000). Narrative inquiry: Experience and story in qualitative research. Jossey-Bass.
Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (2017). The ethics of educational and social research. In Research methods in education (pp. 111–143). Routledge.
Collie, R. J., & Martin, A. (2020). Teacher wellbeing during COVID-19. [Incomplete source info—add journal/book/publisher].
Canadian Psychological Association. (2021, May 17). “Psychology Works” fact sheet: Workplace burnout (Fact sheet).
Daniel, E., & Van Bergen, P. (2023). Teacher burnout during COVID-19: Associations with instructional self-efficacy but not emotion regulation. Teachers and Teaching, 29(3), 310–328.
Denzin, N. K., & Lincoln, Y. S. (Eds.). (2011). The Sage handbook of qualitative research (4th ed.). Sage.
Ingersoll, R. (2012). Beginning teacher induction: What the data tell us. Phi Delta Kappan, 93(8), 47–51. https://doi.org/10.1177/003172171209300811
Edú-Valsania, S., Laguía, A., & Moriano, J. A. (2022). Burnout: A review of theory and measurement. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(3), 1780. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19031780
Frink-Levenhagen, H. (2021). Burnt out educators: A phenomenological study of Minnesota teachers [Doctoral dissertation, Walden University].
Jacobson, D. A. (2016). Causes and effects of teacher burnout [Doctoral dissertation, Walden University].
Jennett, H. K., Harris, S. L., & Mesibov, G. B. (2003). Commitment to philosophy, teacher efficacy, and burnout among teachers of children with autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 33, 583–593.
Jiang, X. R., Du, J. J., & Dong, R. Y. (2017). Coping style, job burnout and mental health of university teachers of the millennial generation. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 13(7), 3379–3392
Jones, S., & Ali, T. T. (2021). Teacher Stress & Burnout: The High Cost of Low Social and Emotional Development. Policy Brief. Southern Education Foundation..
Joshi, R. P. (2022). Fostering teacher well-being in the university. Scholars' Journal, 53–64.
Khammissa, R. A., Nemutandani, S., Feller, G., Lemmer, J., & Feller, L. (2022). Burnout phenomenon: neurophysiological factors, clinical features, and aspects of management. Journal of International Medical Research, 50(9), 03000605221106428.
Klusmann, U., Kunter, M., Trautwein, U., Lüdtke, O., & Baumert, J. (2008). Teachers’ occupational well-being and quality of instruction: The important role of self-regulatory patterns. Journal of Educational Psychology, 100(3), 702–715.
Küçüksüleymanoglu, R. (2011). Burnout syndrome levels of teachers in special education schools in Turkey. International Journal of Special Education, 26(1), 53–63.
Lee, H., Kim, S., & Park, J. (2024). Effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction on teacher burnout and emotional regulation: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Educational Psychology, 116(2), 215–230. https://doi.org/10.1037/edu0000701
Lee, H., Martinez, P., & Chen, Y. (2024). Exploring the relationship between teacher workload, compensation, and mental health: A longitudinal study. Teaching and Teacher Education, 120, 103987. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2023.103987
Madigan, D. J., & Kim, L. E. (2021). Does teacher burnout affect students? A systematic review of its association with academic achievement and student-reported outcomes. International Journal of Educational Research, 105, 101714.
Makhetha, I. M. (2022). Work overload and organisational climate as predictors of job burnout among primary school teachers in Lesotho. African Educational Research Journal, 10(3), 219–226.
Maslach, C. (2003). Job burnout: New directions in research and intervention. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 12, 189–192.
Maslach, C., & Leiter, M. P. (1999). Teacher burnout: A research agenda. In R. Vandenberghe & A. M. Huberman (Eds.), Understanding and preventing teacher burnout: A sourcebook of international research and practice (pp. 295–304). Cambridge University Press.
Maslach, C., Schaufeli, W. B., & Leiter, M. P. (2001). Job burnout. Annual Review of Psychology, 52, 397–422. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.52.1.397
Maslach, C., & Leiter, M. P. (2016). Understanding the burnout experience: recent research and its implications for psychiatry. World psychiatry, 15(2), 103-111.
Mayo Clinic. (2025). Job burnout: How to spot it and take action. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/burnout/art-20046642
Morales, A. I. R. (2011). Factors that foster Latina English language learners: Nontraditional student resilience in higher education and their persistence in teacher education.
Pines, A., & Aronson, E. (1988). Career burnout: Causes and cures. The Free Press.
Richards, K. A. R., Hemphill, M. A., & Templin, T. J. (2018). Personal and contextual factors related to teachers’ experience with stress and burnout. Teachers and Teaching, 24(7), 768–787. https://doi.org/10.1080/13540602.2018.1476337
Roohani, A., & Dayeri, K. (2019). On the relationship between Iranian EFL teachers' burnout and motivation: A mixed methods study. Iranian Journal of Language Teaching Research, 7(1), 77–99.
Santarpia, F. P., Consiglio, C., & Borgogni, L. (2024). On the roots of interpersonal strain at work: The role of burnout and social self-efficacy. Personality and Individual Differences, 231, 112825.
Saloviita, T., & Pakarinen, E. (2021). Teacher burnout explained: Teacher-, student-, and organisation-level variables. Teaching and Teacher Education, 97, 103221.
Schaufeli, W. B., & Enzmann, D. (1998). The burnout companion to study and practice: A critical analysis. Taylor & Francis.
Skaalvik, E. M., & Skaalvik, S. (2017). Teacher stress and teacher self-efficacy: Relations and consequences. In Teacher stress and teacher self-efficacy (pp. 101–125). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-53053-6_5
Smith, A. L., & Johnson, M. R. (2023). Enhancing teacher well-being through participative leadership and emotional support in schools. Journal of Educational Leadership and Policy, 38(2), 140–158. https://doi.org/10.1080/eduleadership.2023.01234
Smith, A., & Jones, R. (2023). Addressing teacher burnout through mindfulness: A systematic review of recent interventions. Teaching and Teacher Education, 120, 103876. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2023.103876
Smith, J. A., Brown, L. K., & Lee, R. T. (2020). The impact of chronic stress on physical health: A review. Journal of Health Psychology, 25(4), 567– 579. https://doi.org/10.1177/1359105318772656
Williams, C., Davis, D., & Brown, E. (2024). Addressing teacher burnout through comprehensive support systems. Contemporary Education Review, 8(1), 112-130.
Tickle, B. R., Chang, M., & Kim, S. (2011). Administrative support and its mediating effect on US public school teachers. Teaching and Teacher Education, 27, 342–349.
Uzun, T. (2018). A study of correlations between perceived supervisor support, organizational identification, organizational citizenship behavior, and burnout at schools. European Journal of Educational Research, 7(3), 501–511. https://doi.org/10.12973/eu- jer.7.3.501
Van Droogenbroeck, F., Lafontaine, D., Spruyt, B., & Quittre, V. (2021). Does the school context really matter for teacher burnout? Review of existing multilevel teacher burnout research and results from the Teaching and Learning International Survey 2018 in the Flemish- and French-speaking communities of Belgium. Educational Researcher, 50(5), 290–305. https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X21992361
W. B., & Buunk, B. P. (2003). Burnout: An overview of 25 years of research and theorizing. In M. J. Schabracq, J. A. M. Winnubst, & C. L. Cooper (Eds.), The handbook of work and health psychology (pp. 383–428). John Wiley.
Whipp, P. R., Tan, G., & Yeo, P. T. (2007). Experienced physical education teachers reaching their “use-by date”: Powerless and disrespected. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 78, 487–499. https://doi.org/10.1080/02701367.2007.10599448
Xue, D., Sun, B., Li, W., Li, X., & Xiao, W. (2024). The relationship between resiliency, psychological empowerment, and teacher burnout across different genders: A psychological network analysis. Behavioral Sciences, 14(10), 878. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14100878
Zincirli, M. (2021). A hypothetical model for the relationship between teachers' job satisfaction, burnout and perceptions of individual performance. International Online Journal of Education and Teaching, 8(2), 1190–1205.
American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Employers need to focus on workplace burnout: Here's why. https://www.apa.org/topics/healthy-workplaces/workplace-burnout
Arens, A. K., & Morin, A. J. (2016). Relations between teachers’ emotional exhaustion and students’ educational outcomes. Journal of educational psychology, 108(6), 800.
Caine, G., & Caine, R. N. (2010). Strengthening and enriching your professional learning community: The art of learning together. Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Călin, M. F., Tasențe, T., & Seucea, A. (2022). The effects of burnout on the professional activity of teachers. Technium Social Sciences Journal, 34, 430–440.
Calm. (2025, April 21). What is burnout? 22 signs you're facing it (and how to recover). https://www.calm.com/blog/beat-burnout
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). Module 2: Organizational strategies to prevent burnout [Webpage]. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/learning/publichealthburnoutprevention/module- 2/outline.html
Clandinin, D.J.(2013).Engaging in narrative inquiry. Routledge
Clandinin, D.J. & Connelly, F.M.(2000). Narrative inquiry: Experience and story in qualitative research. Jossey-Bass.
Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (2017). The ethics of educational and social research. In Research methods in education (pp. 111–143). Routledge.
Collie, R. J., & Martin, A. (2020). Teacher wellbeing during COVID-19. [Incomplete source info—add journal/book/publisher].
Canadian Psychological Association. (2021, May 17). “Psychology Works” fact sheet: Workplace burnout (Fact sheet).
Daniel, E., & Van Bergen, P. (2023). Teacher burnout during COVID-19: Associations with instructional self-efficacy but not emotion regulation. Teachers and Teaching, 29(3), 310–328.
Denzin, N. K., & Lincoln, Y. S. (Eds.). (2011). The Sage handbook of qualitative research (4th ed.). Sage.
Ingersoll, R. (2012). Beginning teacher induction: What the data tell us. Phi Delta Kappan, 93(8), 47–51. https://doi.org/10.1177/003172171209300811
Edú-Valsania, S., Laguía, A., & Moriano, J. A. (2022). Burnout: A review of theory and measurement. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(3), 1780. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19031780
Frink-Levenhagen, H. (2021). Burnt out educators: A phenomenological study of Minnesota teachers [Doctoral dissertation, Walden University].
Jacobson, D. A. (2016). Causes and effects of teacher burnout [Doctoral dissertation, Walden University].
Jennett, H. K., Harris, S. L., & Mesibov, G. B. (2003). Commitment to philosophy, teacher efficacy, and burnout among teachers of children with autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 33, 583–593.
Jiang, X. R., Du, J. J., & Dong, R. Y. (2017). Coping style, job burnout and mental health of university teachers of the millennial generation. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 13(7), 3379–3392
Jones, S., & Ali, T. T. (2021). Teacher Stress & Burnout: The High Cost of Low Social and Emotional Development. Policy Brief. Southern Education Foundation..
Joshi, R. P. (2022). Fostering teacher well-being in the university. Scholars' Journal, 53–64.
Khammissa, R. A., Nemutandani, S., Feller, G., Lemmer, J., & Feller, L. (2022). Burnout phenomenon: neurophysiological factors, clinical features, and aspects of management. Journal of International Medical Research, 50(9), 03000605221106428.
Klusmann, U., Kunter, M., Trautwein, U., Lüdtke, O., & Baumert, J. (2008). Teachers’ occupational well-being and quality of instruction: The important role of self-regulatory patterns. Journal of Educational Psychology, 100(3), 702–715.
Küçüksüleymanoglu, R. (2011). Burnout syndrome levels of teachers in special education schools in Turkey. International Journal of Special Education, 26(1), 53–63.
Lee, H., Kim, S., & Park, J. (2024). Effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction on teacher burnout and emotional regulation: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Educational Psychology, 116(2), 215–230. https://doi.org/10.1037/edu0000701
Lee, H., Martinez, P., & Chen, Y. (2024). Exploring the relationship between teacher workload, compensation, and mental health: A longitudinal study. Teaching and Teacher Education, 120, 103987. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2023.103987
Madigan, D. J., & Kim, L. E. (2021). Does teacher burnout affect students? A systematic review of its association with academic achievement and student-reported outcomes. International Journal of Educational Research, 105, 101714.
Makhetha, I. M. (2022). Work overload and organisational climate as predictors of job burnout among primary school teachers in Lesotho. African Educational Research Journal, 10(3), 219–226.
Maslach, C. (2003). Job burnout: New directions in research and intervention. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 12, 189–192.
Maslach, C., & Leiter, M. P. (1999). Teacher burnout: A research agenda. In R. Vandenberghe & A. M. Huberman (Eds.), Understanding and preventing teacher burnout: A sourcebook of international research and practice (pp. 295–304). Cambridge University Press.
Maslach, C., Schaufeli, W. B., & Leiter, M. P. (2001). Job burnout. Annual Review of Psychology, 52, 397–422. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.52.1.397
Maslach, C., & Leiter, M. P. (2016). Understanding the burnout experience: recent research and its implications for psychiatry. World psychiatry, 15(2), 103-111.
Mayo Clinic. (2025). Job burnout: How to spot it and take action. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/burnout/art-20046642
Morales, A. I. R. (2011). Factors that foster Latina English language learners: Nontraditional student resilience in higher education and their persistence in teacher education.
Pines, A., & Aronson, E. (1988). Career burnout: Causes and cures. The Free Press.
Richards, K. A. R., Hemphill, M. A., & Templin, T. J. (2018). Personal and contextual factors related to teachers’ experience with stress and burnout. Teachers and Teaching, 24(7), 768–787. https://doi.org/10.1080/13540602.2018.1476337
Roohani, A., & Dayeri, K. (2019). On the relationship between Iranian EFL teachers' burnout and motivation: A mixed methods study. Iranian Journal of Language Teaching Research, 7(1), 77–99.
Santarpia, F. P., Consiglio, C., & Borgogni, L. (2024). On the roots of interpersonal strain at work: The role of burnout and social self-efficacy. Personality and Individual Differences, 231, 112825.
Saloviita, T., & Pakarinen, E. (2021). Teacher burnout explained: Teacher-, student-, and organisation-level variables. Teaching and Teacher Education, 97, 103221.
Schaufeli, W. B., & Enzmann, D. (1998). The burnout companion to study and practice: A critical analysis. Taylor & Francis.
Skaalvik, E. M., & Skaalvik, S. (2017). Teacher stress and teacher self-efficacy: Relations and consequences. In Teacher stress and teacher self-efficacy (pp. 101–125). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-53053-6_5
Smith, A. L., & Johnson, M. R. (2023). Enhancing teacher well-being through participative leadership and emotional support in schools. Journal of Educational Leadership and Policy, 38(2), 140–158. https://doi.org/10.1080/eduleadership.2023.01234
Smith, A., & Jones, R. (2023). Addressing teacher burnout through mindfulness: A systematic review of recent interventions. Teaching and Teacher Education, 120, 103876. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2023.103876
Smith, J. A., Brown, L. K., & Lee, R. T. (2020). The impact of chronic stress on physical health: A review. Journal of Health Psychology, 25(4), 567– 579. https://doi.org/10.1177/1359105318772656
Williams, C., Davis, D., & Brown, E. (2024). Addressing teacher burnout through comprehensive support systems. Contemporary Education Review, 8(1), 112-130.
Tickle, B. R., Chang, M., & Kim, S. (2011). Administrative support and its mediating effect on US public school teachers. Teaching and Teacher Education, 27, 342–349.
Uzun, T. (2018). A study of correlations between perceived supervisor support, organizational identification, organizational citizenship behavior, and burnout at schools. European Journal of Educational Research, 7(3), 501–511. https://doi.org/10.12973/eu- jer.7.3.501
Van Droogenbroeck, F., Lafontaine, D., Spruyt, B., & Quittre, V. (2021). Does the school context really matter for teacher burnout? Review of existing multilevel teacher burnout research and results from the Teaching and Learning International Survey 2018 in the Flemish- and French-speaking communities of Belgium. Educational Researcher, 50(5), 290–305. https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X21992361
W. B., & Buunk, B. P. (2003). Burnout: An overview of 25 years of research and theorizing. In M. J. Schabracq, J. A. M. Winnubst, & C. L. Cooper (Eds.), The handbook of work and health psychology (pp. 383–428). John Wiley.
Whipp, P. R., Tan, G., & Yeo, P. T. (2007). Experienced physical education teachers reaching their “use-by date”: Powerless and disrespected. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 78, 487–499. https://doi.org/10.1080/02701367.2007.10599448
Xue, D., Sun, B., Li, W., Li, X., & Xiao, W. (2024). The relationship between resiliency, psychological empowerment, and teacher burnout across different genders: A psychological network analysis. Behavioral Sciences, 14(10), 878. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14100878
Zincirli, M. (2021). A hypothetical model for the relationship between teachers' job satisfaction, burnout and perceptions of individual performance. International Online Journal of Education and Teaching, 8(2), 1190–1205.
Published
2025-08-13
How to Cite
Joshi, R. P. (2025). Exploring Teacher Burnout: A Comprehensive Study of Causes and Solutions. EDUCASIA: Jurnal Pendidikan, Pengajaran, Dan Pembelajaran, 10(2), 245-262. https://doi.org/10.21462/educasia.v10i2.367
Section
Articles
