The Impact of Work Stress and Perceived Social Support on Burnout Dimensions Among Chinese University Lecturers

Abstract

Researchers across the globe have increasingly focused on teacher burnout, recognizing that educators are particularly vulnerable to high levels of work-related stress and burnout. This study examines the effects of work stress and perceived social support on burnout dimensions, explore the mediating role of perceived social support in the relationship between job stress and burnout. Questionnaires were distributed to 326 lecturers at Shanxi Medical University in China. Descriptive statistics, ANOVA, Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), and Bootstrap analysis were employed to analyze the relationships between work stress, burnout, and social support. The findings indicated job security, teaching guarantees, and interpersonal relationships significantly influence burnout dimensions, whereas workload and job demands did not impact burnout dimensions. Perceived social support significantly affect reduced personal accomplishment, but has no effect on emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. Furthermore, perceived social support partially mediates the relationship between job stress and burnout dimensions among lecturers. The results suggest that providing lecturers with adequate social support could be an effective strategy to avoid burnout and improve overall well-being.