Scholarly record

INDIVIDUAL FUNCTIONING OF POLISH AND AMERICAN STUDENTS EXPERIENCING SCHOOL BURNOUT SYNDROME / SCHOOL BURNOUT LEVEL

A. Muchacka-Cymerman

Abstract

Everyone has their own individual way of understanding the world, explaining various positive and negative events that they experience in their lives. Striving to achieve their goals sets certain expectations with them. During adolescence, a man plays the role of a student. In this role person sometimes experiences negative emotions. It is increasingly noticed that the requirements set for students are too high in relation to their resources and competences. As a consequence, these situations disturb the students' sense of security, cause anger and feelings of helplessness. These conditions can cause long-lasting stress and consequently burn out. This phenomenon has been worrying in recent years [1] [11] [13]. The aim of the presented research was to compare the ways of functioning of individual Polish and American students experiencing the burnout syndrome. They are often the result of fatigue resulting from overloading with school tasks, lack of support, inappropriate peer relations or for other existential reasons. The studies used the SSBS Scale by A. Aypay[10] in the adaptation of K. Tomaszek, A. Muchacka - Cymerman (2018). The scale consists of 34 questions, to which the respondents answer 4 - graded Likert scale. The tool allows to assess the global level of school burnout (SSBS) and its 4 dimensions: LIS - Loss of Interest in School, BDS - Burnout Due to Studying, BDF - Burnout Due to Parents, BDH - Burnout Due to Doing Homework, BTT - Being Bored and Tired of Teacher Attitudes, NRF - Need to Rest and Have Fun, ISS - Incompetence in School. The higher the score, the lower the level of school burnout. In addition, the research used a Personal Questionnaire to collect basic information about the students being examined, ie gender, age, subjective assessment of school environment perception by Polish and American students. The research was carried out in the first half of 2018. A total of 120 students - 16-17-year-old students participated in the study, including 60 from Polish high schools and 60 from high school in America; 62 girls and 58 boys. The research allowed to determine the differences in the level of burnout of students depending on the sex and the quality of peer and family relationships. Of particular importance were big classes, lack of individualization of education, lack of ability to organize time devoted to learning at home and others. Searching for answers to the above research question in the context of pupils' school burnout is socially relevant. It concerns students who are in their important stage of mental development and personality formation. Therefore, establishing relationships and dependencies between the level of school burnout and the perception of the school environment made it possible to formulate application forms for therapeutic activities.

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