Engagement and burnout in the classroom – Crossover effects from teachers to students

Linda Österholm; Anna Widlund; Johan Korhonen

doi:10.1016/j.tate.2025.105205

Engagement and burnout in the classroom – Crossover effects from teachers to students

Linda Österholm, Anna Widlund, Johan Korhonen

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Abstract

This study examined the dynamics of students' school engagement and burnout (exhaustion, cynicism) in primary school, considering both individual and classroom levels, and how teachers' occupational well-being predicted students' well-being across one school year. Data from 679 Finnish primary school students (Grades 4–6) and their teachers across 73 school classes were analyzed using multilevel modeling. The results revealed that student engagement buffered against burnout over time, whereas exhaustion and cynicism were unrelated to later engagement. Teachers’ levels of occupational cynicism negatively predicted their students' engagement across the school year, while teacher exhaustion was shown to positively predict student engagement.

Original language	English
Article number	105205
Number of pages	10
Journal	Teaching and Teacher Education
Volume	167
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2025.105205
Publication status	Published - 19 Sept 2025
MoE publication type	A1 Journal article-refereed

Keywords

engagement
burnout
well-being
classroom

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1016/j.tate.2025.105205Licence: CC BY

Engagement and burnout in the classroom – Crossover effects from teachers to studentsFinal published version, 2.28 MBLicence: CC BY

https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe20251020102190

Developmental and Situational Dynamics of Mathematics Motivation, School Well-being, and Learning
Widlund, A. (Principal Investigator), Korhonen, J. (Co-Investigator), Forsman, A. (Co-Investigator), Ventus, D. (Co-Investigator), Tuominen, H. (Co-Investigator), Viljaranta, J. (Co-Investigator), Niemivirta, M. (Co-Investigator), Lazarides, R. (Co-Investigator), Dietrich, J. (Co-Investigator) & Malmberg, L.-E. (Co-Investigator)
01/09/24 → 31/08/28
Project: Research Council of Finland/Other Research Councils
SAMSYN Tidiga mångprofessionella insatser för att systematiskt stödja barns och ungas välbefinnande i skolkontexten: Från forskningsdata till evidensbaserad samverkan
Forsman, A. (Principal Investigator), Nordmyr, J. (Co-Investigator), Tuomela, S. (Co-Investigator), Korhonen, J. (Co-Investigator), Widlund, A. (Co-Investigator) & Sundqvist, C. (Co-Investigator)
City of Vaasa
01/08/21 → 31/12/25
Project: Other

Cite this

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title = "Engagement and burnout in the classroom – Crossover effects from teachers to students",

abstract = "This study examined the dynamics of students' school engagement and burnout (exhaustion, cynicism) in primary school, considering both individual and classroom levels, and how teachers' occupational well-being predicted students' well-being across one school year. Data from 679 Finnish primary school students (Grades 4–6) and their teachers across 73 school classes were analyzed using multilevel modeling. The results revealed that student engagement buffered against burnout over time, whereas exhaustion and cynicism were unrelated to later engagement. Teachers{\textquoteright} levels of occupational cynicism negatively predicted their students' engagement across the school year, while teacher exhaustion was shown to positively predict student engagement.",

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AB - This study examined the dynamics of students' school engagement and burnout (exhaustion, cynicism) in primary school, considering both individual and classroom levels, and how teachers' occupational well-being predicted students' well-being across one school year. Data from 679 Finnish primary school students (Grades 4–6) and their teachers across 73 school classes were analyzed using multilevel modeling. The results revealed that student engagement buffered against burnout over time, whereas exhaustion and cynicism were unrelated to later engagement. Teachers’ levels of occupational cynicism negatively predicted their students' engagement across the school year, while teacher exhaustion was shown to positively predict student engagement.

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KW - well-being

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Engagement and burnout in the classroom – Crossover effects from teachers to students

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

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Projects

Developmental and Situational Dynamics of Mathematics Motivation, School Well-being, and Learning

SAMSYN Tidiga mångprofessionella insatser för att systematiskt stödja barns och ungas välbefinnande i skolkontexten: Från forskningsdata till evidensbaserad samverkan

Cite this