Untangling teacher burnout: a network analysis of demands, resources, and out-of-field teaching challenges in rural China

Introduction Teacher burnout poses a significant threat to the sustainability of rural education. However, the effect of out-of-field teaching as a job demand remains understudied. This study applies the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model to explore how job demands, job resources, and personal resources interact with burnout among rural teachers. Methods We conducted a network analysis on survey data from 2,475 English teachers in rural China, including 2,119 in-field and 356 out-of-field teachers, to examine the relationships between JD-R variables and burnout dimensions. Results Emotional exhaustion emerged as the central burnout dimension, with workload stress acting as the primary bridge connecting JD-R variables to burnout. Job satisfaction showed strong negative bridge effects, indicating its association with lower depersonalization. The network structure and strength were similar for in-field and out-of-field teachers, suggesting that out-of-field teaching may not be directly related to teacher burnout. Discussion These findings suggest that interventions targeting workload reduction and enhancing professional identity and recognition could alleviate burnout and support the sustainability of rural education in China.