Journal of School Psychology· 2026Q1
School principals' burnout trajectories: Nature, predictors, and outcomes
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- Q1SCImago
- 2026year
Short summary
Burnout trajectories among Finnish school principals (n=1574) over four years revealed five distinct profiles, with initial perceptions of recognition, role clarity/conflict, and violence significantly predicting these paths.
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Key points
- Five distinct burnout trajectories were identified among 1574 Finnish school principals over four years.
- Initial perceptions of recognition, role clarity, role conflict, and violence predicted burnout trajectories.
- Higher burnout trajectories were associated with lower healthy lifestyle, sleep quality, work performance, and team efficacy.
- Higher burnout trajectories also correlated with increased alcohol consumption difficulties and turnover intention.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
This study seeks to achieve a dynamic person-centered understanding of the distinct burnout trajectories observed among 1574 Finnish school principals measured five times over a period of four years. Our results revealed that burnout trajectories corresponded to five main profiles: Low and Primarily Stable, Moderate and Primarily Stable, High and Increasing, Moderate and Increasing, and High and Stable. Perceptions of recognition, role clarity, role conflict, physical violence, and psychological violence were associated with these trajectories in a way that mainly supported our expectations. More precisely, initial levels (but not change in these levels) of these predictors were primary drivers of these trajectories, thereby reinforcing the importance of early intervention. Trajectories characterized by higher levels of burnout were also associated with lower levels of healthy lifestyle, sleep quality, work performance, and team efficacy, and with more difficulties regulating one's alcohol consumption and turnover intention. Conversely, trajectories characterized by lower levels of burnout were associated with better outcomes.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Journal of School Psychology, 2026 · DOI ↗
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Field: Education
EducationSocial Sciences