Health Risk-Related Outcomes Associated with Academic Burnout and Engagement

Abstract

Research has demonstrated a connection between burnout and self-rated health and health risk behaviors, specifically substance use, mental health problems, low physical activity, and sleep difficulties. However, studies have focused primarily on jobrelated burnout, rather than academic burnout. Additionally, engagement (the conceptual opposite of burnout) has not been well examined in relation to behavioral health outcomes. The goal of this study was to examine the association between both academic burnout and engagement concurrently to health-risk behaviors, perceived health status, and perceived academic stress among college students. Participants were recruited through requests to professors and/or social media. Students were asked to complete an online survey containing the Maslach Burnout Inventory – Student Survey (MBI-SS), the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale for Students (UWES-S), selected and adapted items from the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) – Standard High School Version (2021), self-rated health items, and the Perception of Academic Stress Scale (PAS). Results indicated a significant association between academic engagement and burnout as students with high levels of burnout were significantly more likely to report low levels of engagement. No significant relationships existed between burnout or engagement and overall health risk behaviors. However, significant relationships were found for burnout and perceived health status and mental health, meaning students who reported high levels of burnout were more likely to rate their general physical health as poor and have more negative perceptions of their mental health. Furthermore, burnout and engagement were also significantly related to perceived academic stress, suggesting that those with high burnout and low engagement were more likely to experience stress from academics. Reducing academic stress may be an effective method for treating burnout and its associated negative health outcomes; however, more research is necessary to better understand this relationship.