A Realist Inquiry of Job Demands, Multi-level Resources, and Burnout among Early Childhood Education Professionals in Colorado: A Structural Equation Model

Background Understanding burnout in the early childhood education (ECE) workforce is critical due to the mental and physical consequences on individuals and the young children in their care. This study examined 1)how job demands impact emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment outcomes and 2)if multilevel resources moderate the relationship between demands and outcomes. Methods This study administered an electronic 89-item survey via convenience sampling to ECE staff employed in five Head Start agencies in Colorado (n=359). A structural equation model (SEM) was developed to test the effects of a latent job demands factor on staff outcomes, and included multilevel workplace supports as moderators. SEM was chosen to account for measurement error and to model the relationships among latent constructs representing job demands, supports, and burnout dimensions simultaneously. Results Survey participants were majority female (94%), white (67%), Hispanic (53%), and half worked in classrooms (51%). A log-likelihood ratio test of the final model indicated good fit ( p <.05). Job demands led to increased emotional exhaustion (β=0.86, p <.001) and depersonalization (β=0.34, p <.001), and did not impact personal accomplishment (β=-0.06, p =0.27). Resources did not moderate the impact of demands on outcomes, but coworker support decreased depersonalization (β=-0.31, p <.001). Additionally, multilevel resources (supportive work culture, coworker support, and psychological capital) led to increased personal accomplishment (β=0.13, p =.01; β=0.20, p <.00; β=0.45, p <.001, respectively). Conclusion ECE organizations should reduce the burden of demands to decrease emotional exhaustion and depersonalization while fostering multilevel support to increase personal accomplishment. This would benefit the well-being of the ECE workforce and young children.