Predicting Teachers’ Burnout from Self-Efficacy Dimensions and Prejudice Toward Ethnic Minorities

Abstract

AbstractTeacher self-efficacy has been shown to be a protective factor for teachers’ feelings of burnout, whereas ethnic prejudice might be a risk factor. Ethnic minority students are often perceived negatively and are associated with low motivation, a large number of classroom disruptions, and discipline problems. Prejudice toward these students can impact teaching practices and create a negative environment, leading to stressful situations. In the current study, we explored the associations between different teacher self-efficacy dimensions and ethnic prejudice in three dimensions of burnout in a sample of 84 preservice and inservice teachers from Italy and Germany. Results showed that teacher self-efficacy in classroom management one factor that protects teachers against emotional exhaustion and reduced personal accomplishment. However, teacher self-efficacy did not have a significant impact on feelings of depersonalization, which was mainly predicted by prejudice toward ethnic minorities. This study lays the base for potential interventions targeting the reduction of ethnic prejudice among teachers and preservice teachers. The findings suggest that addressing ethnic prejudice may be valuable, but further research is crucial to comprehensively investigate the multifaceted outcomes of possible interventions and their potential impact on both teachers and students.