Life stress and academic burnout

Abstract

Stress has been shown to negatively affect learning. Academic burnout is a significant problem associated with poor academic performance. Although there has been increased attention on these two issues, literature on the relationship between students’ life stress and burnout is relatively limited. This study surveys academic burnout and life stresses among college students and further assesses whether reports of life stresses can serve as a predictor of academic burnout. The “Undergraduate Life Stress Scale” and “Learning Burnout Scale” are used as research tools, and data from 2640 students were collected. The results showed that both the level of students’ burnout and stress are in general not serious. Female students and upper year students reported higher values of life stresses. The self-identity stress, interpersonal stress, future development stress, and academic stress could jointly predict student academic burnout.