Profiles of Teachers’ Work Engagement in Special Education: The Impact of Burnout and Job Satisfaction

The purpose of this study was to identify special education teachers’ profiles in relation to their levels of burnout, work engagement and job satisfaction, following a person- oriented approach. This approach was chosen in order to provide cfombinations of attributes that shape high-risk groups of low engagement and high burnout. Additionally, it was examined whether these profiles differed with regard to special education teachers’ individual parameters and work-related characteristics, such as age, gender, marital status, number of children in family, level of education, region of employment and teaching experience. The sample included 664 in-service special education teachers (503 females and 161 males) working in primary and secondary schools. Two-step cluster analysis yielded four profiles, entitled: passionate, workaholic, operational and overworked. Differences were also noted among profiles, in terms of participants’ age, educational level, region and teaching experience. Findings are discussed with reference to implications for future research in order to early detect and support teachers at risk.