Teacher Intrapersonal and School Organizational Health Predictors of Special Education Teacher Burnout

Research is needed on teacher intrapersonal factors that could inform burnout interventions. This study aimed to identify teacher- and school-level variables that could guide both individual and leadership-focused interventions. We also evaluated the sensitivity of three different burnout/work engagement measures to changes in teacher and school factors. Specifically, we (a) assessed and compared the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), Oldenburg Burnout Inventory (OLBI), and Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) in tracking burnout and engagement among special education teachers over a school year; (b) identified teacher intrapersonal and school-level predictors of burnout that could inform future interventions; and (c) examined the proportion of variance in burnout and engagement explained by these factors. Consistent with findings from other professions, burnout and engagement remained largely stable, and predictor effects varied depending on the burnout measure used. Teacher intrapersonal factors accounted for nearly one-third of the variance in change with the OLBI, compared to only 10% for the MBI and UWES. School-level factors explained less variance in burnout but contributed over 10% of the variance in work engagement. These findings suggest that the OLBI may be more sensitive to changes in teacher-focused interventions, while the UWES may better reflect organizational influences on teacher engagement.