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Emotional Exhaustion and Teaching

Performance: An Approach to Burnout

Syndrome in University Professors

Desgaste emocional y desempeño docente: una

aproximación al síndrome de Burnout en profesores

universitarios

Esteban Bozano-Rivadeneira

Universidad Internacional de Valencia, Valencia, España

Facultad de Educación

ebozanor@student.universidadviu.com

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2877-3211

Johanna Bustamante-Torres

Universidad Central del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador

Facultad de Filosofía, Letras y Ciencias de la Educación

jpbustamante@uce.edu.ec

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5816-8856

Brittanny Arrobo-Guayllas

Universidad Central del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador

Facultad de Filosofía, Letras y Ciencias de la Educación

bjarrobog@uce.edu.ec

https://orcid.org/0009-0007-0853-4057

Heydi Hugo-López

Universidad Central del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador

Facultad de Filosofía, Letras y Ciencias de la Educación

hjhugo@uce.edu.ec

https://orcid.org/0009-0004-4501-7006

(Received on: 11/11/2024; Accepted on: 01/01/2025; Final version received on: 14/10/2025)

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Suggested citation: Bozano-Rivadeneira, E., Bustamante-Torres, J., Arrobo-Guayllas, B., y

Hugo-López, H. (2026). Emotional Exhaustion and Teaching Performance: An Approach to

Burnout Syndrome in University Professors. Revista Cátedra, 9(1), 53-70.

Abstract

This study analyzes the influence of burnout syndrome on the performance of university

teachers, based on data collected at the Faculty of Philosophy, Letters, and Education

Sciences of the Central University of Ecuador. The central problem addressed by the

manuscript is the lack of attention given to the emotional health of education professionals,

who constitute one of the populations most exposed to work-related stress. In response to

this problem, the authors propose an approach to assess the impact of factors such as

emotional exhaustion, personal fulfillment, and depersonalization on faculty performance.

It contextualizes the current state of studies associated with the topic through a brief

overview of the state of the art and the conceptualization of the variables studied. This is a

quantitative, cross-sectional study based on descriptive and correlational methods, as well

as data provided by a sample of professors. Data collection involved interviewing teachers

using the Maslach Burnout Inventory and the Competency-Based Teacher Evaluation

Questionnaire (EDBC). Relevant findings include the weak relationship between the study

variables, the importance of considering sociodemographic qualities such as the gender and

age of participants when identifying possible causes of burnout, and the implication of

professional experience in the development of strategies for preventing and coping with

work-related stress.

Keywords

Educational quality, teaching profession, work-related stress, teaching practice, burnout.

Resumen

Este estudio analiza la influencia del síndrome de burnout en el desempeño de los docentes

universitarios, a partir de datos recopilados en la Facultad de Filosofía, Letras y Ciencias de

la Educación de la Universidad Central del Ecuador. El problema central que aborda el

manuscrito es la escasa atención brindada a la salud emocional de los profesionales de la

educación, quienes constituyen una de las poblaciones más expuestas al estrés laboral. En

respuesta a esta problemática, los autores proponen una aproximación para evaluar el

impacto de factores como el cansancio emocional, la realización personal y la

despersonalización en el desempeño del cuerpo docente. Contextualiza el estado actual de

los estudios asociados con la temática, mediante una breve exposición del estado del arte y

la conceptualización de las variables estudiadas. Es una investigación con enfoque

cuantitativo de temporalidad transversal, respaldada en métodos descriptivos y

correlacionales, al igual que en los datos proporcionados por una muestra de catedráticos.

El levantamiento de los datos consideró la técnica de la entrevista a docentes con la

aplicación del Maslach Burnout Inventory y el Cuestionario para evaluar docentes basado

en competencias (EDBC). Como hallazgos relevantes están la escasa relación entre las

variables de estudio, la importancia de la consideración de cualidades sociodemográficas

como el género y la edad de los participantes al momento de identificar las posibles causas

del Burnout, así como, la implicación de la experiencia del profesional en el desarrollo de

estrategias para la prevención y el afrontamiento del estrés laboral.

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Palabras clave

Calidad de la educación, docencia, estrés laboral, práctica pedagógica, síndrome del

quemado.

1. Introduction

Globalization and relentless capitalization, accompanied by stereotypes and social

mandates, have shaped scenarios in which productivity is conceived as an inherent quality

of a responsible individual committed to improving their environment. According to

Salvagioni et al. (2017)

The combination of stressors has triggered conditions that affect the

daily lives of millions of people around the world; this has increased the

risk of emotional and sleep disorders, as well as psychosomatic

problems, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, musculoskeletal

pain, and strokes (p. 5).

Burnout syndrome (hereafter referred to as BS) is a significant biopsychosocial problem, as

it is associated with both the physical and emotional well-being of human beings and their

ability to respond to work and social demands. Furthermore, authors such as Rincón point

out that this condition was recognized in 2019 by the World Health Organization (WHO),

being included in the International Classification of Diseases (ICD), and has gone from being

conceived as a state of vital exhaustion to being considered a disease resulting from chronic

stress caused by work overload (Rincón, 2025, p. 19).

However, when transferring this condition to the educational sphere, it has been identified

that teachers are one of the populations most at risk of developing symptoms associated

with BS. In this vein, Manzano-Díaz (2020) states that “when working conditions are poor,

given that they often do not provide the necessary safety and protection for employees, they

become a threat to health, causing occupational diseases” (p. 500). The teaching profession

is also subject to constant change, as frequent reforms in the education system tend to

increase both the demands and quality standards in this area of knowledge.

According to Díez-Romero (2023), “among the group of workers who are at particular risk

of burnout are those who work in social care, health care, or teaching” (p. 192). Similarly,

authors such as Sorce and De Lucca (2020, p. 7) point out that, due to the high probability

of forming bonds with the people in their care, education professionals are exposed to

greater emotional exhaustion, influenced by both contextual factors and work demands.

What has been mentioned up to this point is important in understanding the meaning of this

research, since in addition to these factors, university teachers not only guarantee a quality

educational process, but also, in their role as trainers of professionals, perform other

substantive functions that support their vocation of service, such as research, links with

society, and academic management.

In this regard, studies such as that by Kwiek (2016) warn that only 10% of university faculty

in Europe are responsible for 50% of scientific production, reflecting a marked structural

inequality in higher education systems (p. 395). This concentration of knowledge generates

latent tension between teaching and research, as less productive academics tend to focus

their efforts on teaching. Thus, there is a clear conflict between traditional educational

functions and contemporary demands aimed at generating new knowledge.

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For authors such as Briceño-Núñez (2024), the SB approach in higher education poses

challenges that go beyond andragogical praxis, as it involves the consideration of

epistemological, ontological, and axiological dimensions (p. 4). As this is an academic

population with representative training in their respective areas of knowledge, the

probability of divergences regarding epistemological conceptions of teaching increases.

This heterogeneity can be both a protective factor and a risk factor with respect to a

comprehensive approach to the academic function.

The ontological dimension focuses on the teacher's being and not simply on their doing

(Villegas-Torres and Lengeling, 2021, p. 231), which addresses the teacher's sense of self-

perception as a human being in service to society. In this sense, it is interesting to encourage

approaches to professionals who have managed to remain active for prolonged periods,

considering that the teaching vocation has three stages in its development: “entering the

teaching profession, choosing to be a teacher, and the educational vocation” (Cardosa-

Batres, 2024, p. 35). Along the same lines, teaching is configured as a reflective practice

where the teacher continuously questions their role, values, and beliefs. In other words, it

is not simply reduced to a technical training function, but also implies a form of existence

linked to broader personal and social meanings. The tension between the roles of

researcher and teacher is a substantive ontological aspect, as it compromises the way

teachers recognize themselves within the educational institution. Along these lines, authors

such as Yağan et al. (2022) highlight that the academic system itself forces faculty members

to face a conflict of institutional roles assumed in their hiring, which guide research toward

productivity, prestige, and metrics established by the scientific community (pp. 3-10).

In addressing the axiological dimension, Briceño-Núñez (2024) emphasizes the values that

guide the actions, decisions, and relationships of teachers, influencing both their well-being

and their professional performance, as well as their decision-making and interaction with

the different actors in the academic context (p. 4). The aforementioned dimensions

correspond to the cornerstone of teaching performance in higher education institutions, as

they shape their level of commitment to the training of future professionals, as well as their

self-care actions for the maintenance and improvement of educational quality. The study by

Onofre-Pérez (2021) mentions that intrinsic work values, such as personal development

and meaningful work, correlate positively with work commitment and negatively with SB

(pp. 30-31). Therefore, this finding emphasizes the importance of integrating personal work

values with institutional culture to improve individual and collective performance.

The current state of research on SB in teaching staff performance provides a solid basis for

generating new studies on this topic. However, as it is a multi-causal phenomenon, one of

the main challenges of burnout research is to define its causes and consequences.

“Predicting performance is a complex task and requires analysis of its nomological network

for understanding, since psychological variables are difficult to analyze in isolation” (Choy-

Vessoni and Prieto-Molinari, 2023, para. 11). Furthermore, the diversity of each

participant's realities and perceptions implies limitations in these studies, as they could lead

to biased results regarding the degree to which burnout affects teaching.

In general terms, this article aimed to contribute to the field of educational research related

to quality assurance and the care of teaching staff in higher education. It began with the

application of a survey of sociodemographic characteristics and the Spanish version of the

Maslach Burnout Inventory for Human Services (Maslach burnout inventory human

services survey), with the aim of characterizing the participating population. At the same

time, the sample of teachers assessed their performance using the “Competency-based

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Teacher Evaluation Questionnaire (EDBC)” (Torres-Roldán et al., 2024), which allowed for

a subsequent comparison between the two variables.

In light of the above, the aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of factors such as

emotional exhaustion, personal fulfillment, and depersonalization on the performance of a

sample of teachers from the Faculty of Philosophy, Letters, and Education Sciences at the

Central University of Ecuador during the 2024-2025 academic year. The recognition of the

scarcity of this type of study in the field of education, especially in the case of teachers

involved in the training of other professionals in this field, was the main motivation for the

development of this article. Thus, the question was raised: How do the dimensions of

burnout affect the performance of the teaching staff of the Faculty of Philosophy, Letters,

and Educational Sciences of the Central University of Ecuador in the 2024-2025 academic

period?

This formulation was based on the recognition of university teachers as integral subjects

who, despite having a remarkable career and extensive experience in their work, do not

abandon their human condition. The assessment of teachers, as well as the prevention of

health problems, is a relevant responsibility of the ideological, political, and economic

spheres of any sociocultural context.

This manuscript was structured with the aim of starting with a brief overview of the state

of the art and a theoretical-conceptual approach to the variables analyzed, in order to

subsequently provide methodological specifications for the interactive phase. Once these

components have been clarified, the most relevant results are presented based on the

objectives of the study, moving on to a discussion of the findings and corresponding

conclusions.

2. State of the Art

This section reviews research related to the topic; the studies considered were published

within the last five years. Priority was given to identifying systematic reviews that provide

a general overview of advances in the study of SB in teaching performance in recent years.

Tabares-Díaz et al. (2020) conducted a systematic review of 53 scientific articles,

emphasizing studies on SB in teachers in Latin America. The objective that guided the study

was to identify scientific production related to the topic, generated in the period between

2008 and 2018. One of the main findings was the recognition of a higher prevalence of

research of this nature in health care populations, compared to the analysis of professionals

in the field of education. It was concluded that most studies that sought to associate SB with

sociodemographic, occupational, and psychological variables were able to establish

relationships in the form of risk and protective factors.

Rojas-Solís et al. (2021) conducted a review of research carried out between 1994 and 2019.

The objective of the study was to explore SB in the context of Latin American teachers. Based

on the PRISMA model, they identified 25 research articles from nine high-impact electronic

databases. Among the main results, it was evident that research on BS in teacher

performance has mainly focused on the analysis of prevalence and the recognition of

etiological factors, in contrast to the means of prevention and treatment. The conclusions

highlighted the need to consider the gender variable, situational analysis, and the specific

needs of participants in this type of study.

González-Valero et al. (2021) conducted a review of research related to the topic. The

objective was to provide an overview of the main variables associated with SB and resilience

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in the field of teaching. The methodology used was similar to that of Rojas-Solís et al. (2021),

who identified a sample of 25 scientific articles published between 2016 and 2019. The

results showed that since 2019 there has been an upward trend in interest in researching

psychosocial variables linked to BS. Similarly, it was stated that a large part of the studies

analyzed showed that the dimensions of BS are highly related to the mood, sense of

fulfillment, and work and interpersonal performance of university teachers. It was

concluded that all levels of education show a significant number of professionals suffering

from BS, which could have an impact on both the mental health of these individuals and the

teaching-learning processes.

3. Conceptual approach to burnout

For authors such as Caballero-Domínguez et al. (2010), burnout syndrome is a term coined

in the healthcare and organizational context to refer to people who showed signs of

professional and emotional exhaustion (p. 132). For their part, Saborío-Morales and

Hidalgo-Murillo (2015) mention that the first approaches to this condition date back to the

1970s, when psychiatrist Herbert Freudenberger first used the concept of burnout to

describe the decline in the physical and psychological health of care staff at an addiction

clinic in New York, USA (p. 2). Thus, they were able to identify effects from the first year of

service, evidenced by changes in attitudes toward work and a continuous reduction in the

effectiveness of the activities performed by these professionals throughout the workday.

In 1976, American psychologist Christina Maslach revisited the term burnout to refer to a

three-dimensional syndrome characterized by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization,

and low personal accomplishment, mainly associated with professions involving direct

contact with human beings (Maslach and Jackson, 1981, p. 106).

Over the years, the definition of burnout syndrome has been supplemented by contributions

from various authors. Figure 1 below summarizes the evolution of the concept of burnout

syndrome over the last few decades.

Figure 1. Conceptual evolution of SB. Adapted from: Estrada-López et al. (2018).

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Figure 1 shows that, from the perspective of Estrada-López et al. (2018), authors such as

Freudenberger (1974) and Hernández, González, and Campos (2011) focused their work on

recognizing burnout syndrome (BS), referring to a feeling of failure in individuals with this

condition; while Pines and Kafry (1978), Maslach and Jackson (1981), and Kahill (1988)

delved mainly into the study of factors associated with the syndrome, such as exhaustion

from the work environment, weariness in dealing with people, changes in the attitude of the

affected worker, and chronic stress.

Similarly, among the particularities and representative contributions to the concept of BS,

three stages in the development of the syndrome have been identified: 1) the imbalance

between resources and demands; 2) the development of a feeling of exhaustion,

accompanied by an increase in stressors; and 3) behavioral changes in interpersonal

relationships. In addition, it is worth highlighting the dimensions proposed by Maslach and

Jackson (1981), which have been the basis for the development of numerous subsequent

studies, thanks to the creation of the Maslach Burnout Inventory for human services.

3.1 Teaching Performance in Higher Education

The task of educating requires vocation and key skills for proper execution; however, the

performance of university teachers demands greater rigor, as it incorporates personal,

disciplinary, and pedagogical elements (Salazar, 2006, p. 31). The characterization of the

professor is based on the recognition of the multidimensionality that defines the profile of

the academic professional, given that, as a subject linked to the higher education sphere,

they must perform training tasks of research, coordination, and tutoring that go beyond

exclusively pedagogical aspects. University teachers represent strength and expertise in a

specific area of knowledge; however, according to the United Nations, their participation in

educational work requires that, in addition to being specialists in their area of knowledge,

they possess skills in the field of pedagogical knowledge, such as knowledge of learning

methods and understanding of assessment processes (UNESCO, 1998, p. 3).

The conceptual approach to university teaching performance becomes more complex when

recognizing this multidimensionality in practice, and even personal and emotional aspects

that may affect performance throughout the educational process have been taken into

consideration. The practice of teaching is inseparable from the establishment of

relationships with students. Therefore, elements such as the treatment of students, attitude

in learning spaces, and proximity to future professionals are important components in the

evaluation of professional performance.

4. Methodology

This research focused on recognizing the degree of association between the dimensions of

burnout syndrome as an independent variable and teaching performance as a dependent

variable, as well as the influence that exists between them, making it specifically a

correlational study. The article was written from a quantitative, non-experimental, cross-

sectional, and correlational approach. This approach was chosen because priority was given

to obtaining and interpreting numerical data in an uncontrolled environment, with the aim

of providing objective answers to the research questions (Creswell, 2014). It was cross-

sectional because the data collection was carried out on a single occasion, and correlational

because of the degree of association between the two variables.

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4.1 Participants

The study involved a sample of teachers from the Faculty of Philosophy, Letters, and

Education Sciences at the Central University of Ecuador during the 2024-2025 academic

year. The sampling process was non-probabilistic and intentional, given that individuals

were selected based on the following criteria: a) working in the Faculty of Philosophy at the

UCE; b) having an employment relationship with the university for more than one year; c)

having a third-level degree in the field of education as their basic training.

Thus, a sample of 109 university teachers was considered for participation. This group

corresponded to 39% of the total number of teachers working in the aforementioned faculty

(279 professionals) at the time of data collection.

Características

Gender

Male

Female

Other

Age

Under 40

13.8

40 to 49

39.4

50 to 59

35.8

60 or older

11.0

Employment Status

Full-time

79.8

Part-time

11.9

Part-time

8.3

Job Length

1-10 years

32.1

11-20 years

21-30 years

20.1

Over 30 years

2.8

Table 1. Sociodemographic characteristics of the teaching sample.

It should be noted that the participation of all individuals involved in this study was

completely voluntary, with informed consent and consent. Likewise, confidentiality and

anonymity were respected at all times.

4.2 Instruments

The instruments used to conduct the research were the Maslach Burnout Inventory

(Spanish version) and the Competency-Based Teacher Evaluation Questionnaire (EDBC)

(Torres et al., 2024). Both instruments have been recognized for their wide application in

various studies as tools for measuring the variables: SB and teacher performance.

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The MBI (Maslach and Jackson, 1981) considers the dimensions of emotional exhaustion,

depersonalization, and personal fulfillment. This inventory has high internal consistency

and reliability, close to α = 0.90 (Oyola-García et al., 2023). Its application has been one of

the most recognized for research projects on SB (Rojas-Solís et al., 2021). The ranges for the

rating by aspect evaluated are shown in Table 4.

Evaluated aspect

Low

Medium

High

Emotional exhaustion

0-18

19-26

27-54

Depersonalization

0-5

6-9

10-30

Personal fulfillment

0-33

34-39

40-56

Cuadro 2. Rangos para la calificación del MBI. Fuente: Briceño-Núñez (2024).

The “Competency-based teacher evaluation questionnaire (EDBC)” was created by Torres

et al. (2024). The instrument has 22 items, designed with the intention of measuring the

performance of teaching staff in higher education through the following competencies:

Knowledge, Skills, Attitudes, and Values. A pilot test was conducted to establish the

reliability of the instrument, obtaining a Cronbach's alpha value corresponding to the

excellent range (α = 0.924).

4.3 Data analysis

The first phase of the study consisted of administering the instruments to the teaching

sample of the Faculty of Philosophy, Letters and Educational Sciences of the Central

University of Ecuador, active during the 2024-2025 academic year. The data were

subsequently processed using the SPSS v26.0 statistical package and Microsoft Excel. The

descriptive analysis included graphs created based on the measures of central tendency and

the values obtained. A correlational analysis was also performed by comparing the scores

resulting from the application of both instruments.

5. Results

5.1 Fase 1: Measurement of burnout levels among teaching staff at the Faculty of

Philosophy, Literature, and Education Sciences

The first element analyzed was the prevalence of SB among the teaching staff. It should be

noted that the sample consisted primarily of full-time professors with approximately 11 to

20 years of service in higher education, with a mean (μ) age of 49 years and a standard

deviation of σ = 9.

Figure 2 presents the data obtained according to each dimension of the MBI, referring to the

high, medium, and low levels offered by the instrument.

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Figure 2. Distribution of the teaching sample according to the dimensions of burnout.

5.1.1 Emotional exhaustion

 • 88 teachers showed scores between 0 and 18 (low): Indicates that burnout or

emotional overload generally does not occur due to stress levels experienced during

the academic day.

 • 10 teachers showed scores between 19 and 26 (medium): These teachers report

feeling some level of emotional exhaustion, which could increase and rise to a high

level of fatigue in this dimension.

 • 11 teachers showed scores between 27 and 54 (high): Typical of individuals who

constantly experience exhaustion due to work demands.

5.1.2 Depersonalization

 • 84 teachers scored between 0 and 5 (low): Refers to teachers who can easily

establish positive relationships with students.

 • 22 teachers scored between 6 and 9 (medium): Indicates a certain emotional

distance and loss of interest in interacting with others.

 • 3 teachers reported a score between 10 and 30 (high): These teachers consider

themselves to have a poor ability to connect emotionally with their students. This

could be interpreted as a cynical and dehumanizing attitude toward others.

5.1.3 Personal fulfillment

 • One teacher reported a score between 0 and 33 (low): This teacher claims to be

dissatisfied with their job and lacks a sense of accomplishment.

 • 19 teachers demonstrated scores between 34 and 39 (medium): Typical of

teachers with a relatively moderate sense of satisfaction with their job performance

and achievements.

 • 89 teachers obtained scores between 40 and 56 (high): Indicates that these

participants feel satisfied with their work and their academic achievements.

When comparing the results with the sociodemographic qualities presented previously, it

is possible to affirm that from a sample of teachers with an average age of 49 years, mostly

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composed of male teachers with approximate seniority of 11 to 20 years, no participants

with SB indicators were evident.

5.2 Fase 2: Análisis Correlacional entre las dimensiones del SB y el índice de

desempeño docente

The results of the first phase allowed for a distribution of SB dimensions, which facilitated

correlational analysis using the Pearson coefficient (r). The results presented below

correspond to a comparison between the SB dimensions and the total score obtained in the

questionnaire regarding teacher performance.

Emotional

exhaustion

Personal

achievement

Despersonali

zation

Teaching

performance

Emotional exhaustion

Correlación de

Pearson

-.317**

.248**

-.110

Sig. (bilateral)

.001

.009

.254

109

Personal achievement

Correlación de

Pearson

-.317**

-.353**

.248**

Sig. (bilateral)

.001

.000

.009

109

Despersonalization

Correlación de

Pearson

.248**

-.353**

-.072

Sig. (bilateral)

.009

.000

.459

109

Teaching

performance

Correlación de

Pearson

-.110

.248**

-.072

Sig. (bilateral)

.254

.009

.459

109

**. The correlation is significant at the level 0.01 (bilateral).

Table 3. Correlation between SB dimensions and teacher performance index.

Regarding the relationships between the dimensions of burnout syndrome, the results

showed significant correlations between them, consistent with what has been reported in

the literature. A moderate negative correlation was found between emotional exhaustion

and personal accomplishment (r = –.317, p = .001), indicating that as teachers perceive

greater emotional exhaustion, their sense of achievement and personal efficacy tends to

decrease. Likewise, the relationship between emotional exhaustion and depersonalization

was positive and weak (r = .248, p = .009), suggesting that higher levels of emotional

exhaustion are associated with more distant or cynical attitudes toward students and

teaching. Finally, the relationship between personal accomplishment and depersonalization

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was negative and moderate (r = –.353, p < .001), reflecting that a lower perception of

personal success is accompanied by greater depersonalization in professional practice.

On the other hand, when analyzing the relationship between the dimensions of burnout

syndrome and teacher performance, the findings revealed that only one of the dimensions

showed a significant correlation. Personal accomplishment was positively and weakly

associated with performance (r = .248, p = .009), suggesting that teachers who feel more

professionally fulfilled tend to report better performance in their academic duties. In

contrast, the correlations between emotional exhaustion and performance (r = –.110, p =

.254), as well as between depersonalization and performance (r = –.072, p = .459), were

negative but not significant, indicating that these dimensions of burnout did not show a

statistically relevant influence on perceived performance in the participating sample.

6. Discussion of results

The state of the art presented at the beginning of this article raises the importance of

expanding the depth of studies related to burnout syndrome (BS) in teacher performance.

Clearly, there is a significant number of analyses that focus specifically on descriptive

approaches (Rojas-Solís et al., 2021), neglecting contextualization that facilitates a broader

understanding of the conditions under which the findings were obtained.

In this study, significant associations were identified between the dimensions of BS and

teacher performance, particularly in the dimension of personal accomplishment, which was

shown to be a relevant factor in the prevention of this syndrome. Using the Pearson

coefficient, the following were found: 1) a moderate negative correlation between

emotional exhaustion and personal accomplishment (r = –.317, p = .001); 2) a moderate

negative correlation between personal accomplishment and depersonalization (r = –.353, p

< .001); and 3) a weak positive correlation between personal accomplishment and teaching

performance (r = .248, p = .009). These results suggest that a greater sense of personal

accomplishment could contribute to mitigating symptoms such as emotional exhaustion

and depersonalization, while also promoting better professional performance.

When comparing these findings with the systematic review by González-Valero et al.

(2021), who stated that “[…] personal accomplishment is related to emotional repair with a

large effect (r = 0.501)” (p. 282), consistency is observed regarding the positive role of this

dimension in teacher well-being. A notable aspect of this study is the typology of the

participating teachers, given that all had basic training in education, which could have

favorably influenced their ability to manage work demands and maintain a sense of

personal accomplishment. In line with Hernández-Ortega (2023), who notes that several

university professors "have found themselves under constant work pressure, which has

forced them to adapt environmentally and professionally" (pp. 112-113), the findings of this

study suggest that such adaptation appears to be effective in the analyzed sample, with no

evidence of severe impact on performance. In fact, the majority of professors presented low

levels of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, along with high or medium levels of

personal accomplishment. This is consistent with Garcés-Delgado et al. (2023), who argue

that, despite moderate levels of stress, there are no indicators that indicate that professors

suffer from chronic stress, suggesting that the symptoms of BS in university contexts are

situational and not necessarily clinical.

Finally, factors such as age and professional experience appear to play an important role in

the quality of teaching performance. Bolívar and Mula-Falcón (2022) highlight that teachers

are more likely to develop stress in their early years of practice, when they are still adapting,

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since "the fear of failure leads individuals to voluntarily exploit themselves to the point of

exhaustion" (p. 123). This approach is consistent with what was observed in the present

sample, characterized by an average age of 49 years and extensive professional experience,

which could explain the greater emotional resilience and sense of personal achievement

reported. As Mendes and Miguel (2024) affirm, experienced workers are more successful in

regulating their emotions in demanding situations, which facilitates a more defined sense

of personal accomplishment, positively impacting performance and relationships with

students.

As a result, it is understood that a sense of personal accomplishment could be considered a

protective factor for teachers against emotional burnout and depersonalization. For their

part, the professional career and experience were also perceived as elements that could

make a difference in the etiology of SB in this population, something that undoubtedly

deserves to be investigated in greater detail in subsequent studies, especially with samples

of novice teachers or those from other training areas.

7. Conclusions

In the analyzed sample, the influence of burnout syndrome (BS) on university professor

performance depended on a combination of personal, emotional, social, and occupational

factors that enabled or prevented the onset of warning signs. In this regard, no participant

showed chronic stress; however, some professors reported experiencing emotional

exhaustion and depersonalization. It is worth noting that sociodemographic characteristics

provided key information in understanding why there was no significant relationship

between the study variables, given that factors such as age, vocation, and years of service

proved relevant for managing the demands associated with teaching.

Among the most relevant dimensions of burnout syndrome in relation to professor

performance, a sense of personal accomplishment was identified as especially important as

a factor in preventing emotional exhaustion and depersonalization in the analyzed

population. This finding is significant considering that the entire sample consisted of

teachers with a background in education, which suggests that many of them may feel

fulfilled by working in university teaching.

Teacher performance is undoubtedly a multi-causal phenomenon that combines a variety

of resources and skills developed throughout one's professional career. Factors such as

teachers' age and years of experience play a fundamental role in consolidating optimal

performance and in students' positive perceptions of their work. Both the present study and

the aforementioned contributions show that, over time, teachers tend to adjust their

priorities, increasingly focusing on aspects that promote educational quality and empathic

and assertive interactions with students. This shift in perspective enriches the learning

experience and strengthens the relationships between teachers and their context. Likewise,

as they gain more experience, teachers refine their strategies for managing stress and

improve their emotional regulation skills, which contributes to the development of

protective factors against burnout and other conditions related to work-related stress.

Acknowledgements

This study shows the partial results of the project "Inclusive education at the Central

University of Ecuador, practices and reflections of the university community in the period

2023-2025" and the Ethics Committee for Research in Human Beings of the Central

University of Ecuador (CEISH-UCE), in ordinary session No. 015-CEISH-UCE-2024 of April

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23, 2024, approves THE ETHICAL FEASIBILITY with Code 002-PSN-2024. Thanks, also, to

the Diversity, Health, Education and Sports Research Group (DISAED) with code: 045-GI-

DI-2024 of the Central University of Ecuador and to the "Education and Technology 21st

Century" NETWORK, with code: 003-REDI UCE-DI-2023.

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022-00769-w

Authors

ESTEBAN BOZANO-RIVADENEIRA obtained his Bachelor's degree in Psychopedagogy

from the Faculty of Philosophy, Letters, and Educational Sciences at the Central University

of Ecuador in 2024.

He is currently completing a Master's degree in Learning Difficulties and Communication

Disorders in Socio-Educational Contexts at the International University of Valencia (Spain).

He is the director and owner of the Acentia Comprehensive Psychological and

Psychopedagogical Center, located in Quito, Ecuador. In general terms, he has experience in

advising educational institutions, focusing on identifying and addressing learning

difficulties and behavioral problems in children and adolescents. His main research topics

include educational inclusion, initial training, and teacher performance in higher education.

JOHANNA BUSTAMANTE-TORRES holds a PhD in Humanities and Arts, with a

specialization in Education Sciences, from the National University of Rosario, Argentina,

2020. She holds a Master's degree in Child Neuropsychology from the Central University of

Ecuador, 2011. She is a specialist in Human Rights, with a specialization in Comprehensive

Reparation, from the Simón Bolívar Andean University, 2021. She holds a Master's degree

in Human Rights, with a specialization in Latin America, from the Simón Bolívar Andean

University (2024). She holds a Bachelor's degree in Education Sciences, with a specialization

in Educational Psychology, from the Central University of Ecuador, 2007.

She currently works as a professor in the Faculty of Philosophy, Letters, and Educational

Sciences at the Central University of Ecuador and as coordinator of the Master's Degree in

Education, with a specialization in Educational Inclusion and Attention to Diversity. She is

a member of the Diversity, Health, Education, and Sports Research Group (DISAED) with

code: 045-GI-DI-2024 at the Central University of Ecuador and of the “EDUCATION AND

TECHNOLOGY 21ST CENTURY” NETWORK, with code: 003-REDI UCE-DI-2023 at the

Central University of Ecuador. She has been a tutor and consultant for undergraduate theses

and a reader for postgraduate theses. She is part of advanced research teams, is the author

of academic and scientific publications, and has been a speaker at national and international

conferences and seminars.

BRITTANNY JAMILETH ARROBO-GUAYLLAS obtained her bachelor's degree in Computer

Science, with a major in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), from the

Alessandro Volta School, located in Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, in 2023.

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She is currently studying Educational Psychology at the Faculty of Philosophy, Letters, and

Educational Sciences at the Central University of Ecuador. During her university studies, she

has participated in academic activities such as presentations on neuroeducation, the

development of teaching materials, and the development of technology-supported

educational resources.

HEYDI JAMILE HUGO-LÓPEZ obtained her General Unified Baccalaureate degree at the

Fernández Salvador Villavicencio Ponce “Fesvip” Educational Unit School, located in Quito,

in 2023.

She is currently studying at the Central University of Ecuador, pursuing a degree in

Psychopedagogy in the Faculty of Philosophy, Letters, and Educational Sciences. She has

participated in activities such as presentations in practical classes, the creation of teaching

materials, and the development of pedagogical resources with technological support.

Declaration of authorship-CRediT

ESTEBAN BOZANO-RIVADENEIRA: Conceptualization, methodology, software, validation,

formal analysis, research, resources, data curation, writing – original draft, writing –

revision and editing, visualization.

JOHANNA BUSTAMANTE-TORRES: Supervision, methodology, writing – revision and

editing, validation.

BRITTANNY ARROBO-GUAYLLAS: Resources, data curation.

HEYDI HUGO-LÓPEZ: Resources, data curation.

Declaration of the use of artificial intelligence

The authors declare that they used the ChatGPT tool – GPT-4 model (OpenAI), June 2025

version – solely for linguistic review and improvement of the wording of certain sections of

the manuscript. All scientific content was prepared, reviewed, and validated by the authors,

who assume full responsibility for the accuracy, integrity, and academic rigor of the work.