Self-compassion and School Burnout in Adolescents During the Lockdown Period: The Parallel Mediator Role of Intolerance of Uncertainty and Positivity

Year 2023, Volume: 16 Issue: 4, 789 - 807, 29.10.2023

İbrahim Albayrak

https://doi.org/10.30831/akukeg.1270675

Abstract

This research aims to investigate the parallel mediating role of intolerance of uncertainty and positivity on the relationship between self-compassion and school burnout. Hypotheses were tested in a sample of 304 Turkish adolescents using mediation analysis (Mage = 14.63).The research consists of data obtained during the lockdown caused by Covid-19 in Türkiye. An online measurement tool was applied to the sample, including self-compassion, intolerance of uncertainty, positivity, and school burnout. The results showed that intolerance of uncertainty and positivity mediated the indirect effect of self-compassion on school burnout. Investigating both negative and positive psychological variables in explaining school burnout can support interventions and policies to be planned in the school environment.

Keywords

self-compassion, intolerance of uncertainty, positivity, school burnout, adolescent

References

• Allen, A. B., & Leary, M. R. (2010). Self-compassion, stress, and coping. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 4(2), 107-118. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1751-9004.2009.00246.x
• Aypay, A. (2011). Elementary school student burnout scale for grades 6-8: A study of validity and reliability. Educational Sciences: Theory and Practice, 11(2), 520-527.
• Aypay, A. (2017). A positive model for reducing and preventing school burnout in high school students. Educational Sciences-Theory & Practice, 17(4), 1345-1359. https://doi.org/10.12738/estp.2017.4.0173
• Aypay, A., & Eryılmaz, A. (2011). Relationships of high school student’ subjective well-being and school burnout [Lise öğrencilerinin öznel iyi oluşları ve okul tükenmişliği arasındaki ilişkiler]. International Online Journal of Educational Sciences, 3(1), 181-199.
• Aypay, A., & Sever, M. (2015). School as if a workplace: Exploring burnout among high school students. Journal of Theory and Practice in Education, 11(2), 460-472.
• Bakioğlu, F., Korkmaz, O., & Ercan, H. (2021). Fear of COVID-19 and positivity: Mediating role of intolerance of uncertainty, depression, anxiety, and stress. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 19(6), 2369-2382. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-020-00331-y
• Bakker, A. B., & Demerouti, E. (2017). Job demands–resources theory: Taking stock and looking forward. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 22(3), 273–285. http://doi.org/10.1037/ocp0000056
• Bandura, A. (1977). Self-efficacy: toward a unifying theory of behavioral change. Psychological Review, 84(2), 191-21. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-295X.84.2.191
• Bandura, A. (1982). Self-efficacy mechanism in human agency. American Psychologist, 37(2), 122–147. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.37.2.122
• Bandura, A., Barbaranelli, C., Caprara, G. V., & Pastorelli, C. (1996). Multifaceted impact of self‐efficacy beliefs on academic functioning. Child Development, 67(3), 1206-1222. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.1996.tb01791.x
• Barnard, L. K., &Curry, J. F. (2012). The relationship of clergy burnout to self-compassion and other personality dimensions. Pastoral Psychology, 61(2), 149-163. https://doi.org/ 10.1007/s11089-011-0377-0
• Barnett, M. D., & Flores, J. (2016). Narcissus, exhausted: Self-compassion mediates the relationship between narcissism and school burnout. Personality and Individual Differences, 97, 102-108. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2016.03.026
• Bask, M., & Salmela-Aro, K. (2013). Burned out to drop out: Exploring the relationship between school burnout and school dropout. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 28(2), 511-528.https://doi.org/ 10.1007/s10212-012-0126-5
• Beaumont, E., Durkin, M., Martin, C. J. H., & Carson, J. (2016). Compassion for others, self-compassion, quality of life and mental well-being measures and their association with compassion fatigue and burnout in student midwives: A quantitative survey. Midwifery, 34, 239-244. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2015.11.002
• Boyacı, M., & Özhan, M. B. (2021). School burnout in university students: the role of psychological resilience, hope, and positivity [Üniversite öğrencilerinde okul tükenmişliği: Psikolojik sağlamlık, umut ve pozitifliğin rolü]. Türk Eğitim Bilimleri Dergisi, 19(2), 1178-1198. https://doi.org/10.37217/tebd.896692
• Budner, S. (1962). Intolerance of ambiguity as a personality variable. Journal of Personality, 30(1), 29–50. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6494.1962.tb02303.x
• Buhr, K., & Dugas, M. J. (2002). The intolerance of uncertainty scale: Psychometric properties of the English version. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 40(8), 931-945. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0005-7967(01)00092-4
• Caprara, G. V., Alessandri, G., Eisenberg, N., Kupfer, A., Steca, P., Caprara, M. G., & Abela, J. (2012). The Positivity Scale. Psychological Assessment, 24, 701-712. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0026681
• Caprara, G. V., Eisenberg, N., & Alessandri, G. (2017). Positivity: The dispositional basis of happiness. Journal of Happiness Studies, 18(2), 353-371. https://doi.org/ 10.1007/s10902-016-9728-y
• Caprara, G. V., Steca, P., Alessandri, G., Abela, J. R. Z., & McWhinnie, C. M. (2010). Positive orientation: Explorations on what is common to life satisfaction, self-esteem, and optimism. Epidemiologia e Psichiatria Sociale, 19, 63–71. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1121189X00001615
• Carleton, R. N. (2012). The intolerance of uncertainty construct in the context of anxiety disorders: Theoretical and practical perspectives. Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics, 12(8), 937-947. https://doi.org/10.1586/ern.12.82
• Carleton, R. N., Norton, M. P. J., & Asmundson, G. J. (2007). Fearing the unknown: A short version of the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 21(1), 105-117. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2006.03.014
• Chen, C. Y., & Hong, R. Y. (2010). Intolerance of uncertainty moderates the relation between negative life events and anxiety. Personality and Individual Differences, 49(1), 49-53. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2010.03.006
• Çıkrıkçı, Ö., Çiftçi, M., & Gençdoğan, B. (2015). The psychometric properties of the Turkish Form of the Positivity Scale [Pozitiflik Ölçeği Türkçe Formu’nun psikometrik özellikleri]. The Journal of Happiness & Well-Being, 3(1), 57-76.
• Coaston, S. C. (2017). Self-care through self-compassion: A balm for burnout. Professional Counselor, 7(3), 285-297. https:// doi.org/10.15241/scc.7.3.285
• Corno, L., & Kanfer, R. (1993). Chapter 7: The role of volition in learning and performance. Review of Research in Education, 19(1), 301–341. https://doi.org/10.3102/0091732X019001301.
• Deniz, M. E. (2021). Self-compassion, intolerance of uncertainty, fear of COVID-19, and well-being: A serial mediation investigation. Personality and Individual Differences, 177, 110-824. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2021.110824
• Di Trani, M., Mariani, R., Ferri, R., De Berardinis, D., & Frigo, M. G. (2021). From resilience to burnout in healthcare workers during the COVID-19 emergency: the role of the ability to tolerate uncertainty. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 646435. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.646435
• Dönmez, K., & Tuğba, S. (2021). Investigation of the mediator role of hope in the relationship between self-compassion and burnout in school counselors [Okul psikolojik danışmanlarında öz şefkat ile tükenmişlik arasindaki ilişkide umudun aracı rolünün incelenmesi]. Mehmet Akif Ersoy Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 59, 60-84. Retrieved from https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/maeuefd/issue/64363/900347
• Duy, B. & Yıldız, M. A. (2020). Investigation of the psychometric properties of the Turkish adaptation of positivity scale for adolescents and young adults. Psikoloji Çalışmaları, 40(1), 1-18.
• Ellis, W. E., Dumas, T. M., & Forbes, L. M. (2020). Physically isolated but socially connected: Psychological adjustment and stress among adolescents during the initial COVID-19 crisis. Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science / Revue canadienne des sciences du comportement, 52(3), 177–187. https://doi.org/10.1037/cbs0000215
• Fazeli, S., Zeidi, I. M., Lin, C. Y., Namdar, P., Griffiths, M. D., Ahorsu, D. K., & Pakpour, A. H. (2020). Depression, anxiety, and stress mediate the associations between internet gaming disorder, insomnia, and quality of life during the COVID-19 outbreak. Addictive Behaviors Reports, 12, 100-307. doi.org/10.1016/j.abrep.2020.100307
• Fredrickson, B. L. (2001). The role of positive emotions in positive psychology: The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions. American Psychologist, 56(3), 218–226. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.56.3.218
• Freeston, M. H., Rhéaume, J., Letarte, H., Dugas, M. J., & Ladouceur, R. (1994). Why do people worry? Personality and Individual Differences, 17(6), 791-802. https://doi.org/10.1016/0191-8869(94)90048-5
• Freudenberger, H. J. (1974). Staff burnout. Journal of Social Issue, 30, 159-165. https://doi.org/ 10.1111/j.1540-4560.1974.tb00706.x
• Furnham, A., & Marks, J. (2013). Tolerance of ambiguity: A review of the recent literature. Psychology, 4(09), 717-728. https://doi.org/10.4236/psych.2013.49102
• Gilbert, P., & Irons, C. (2009). Shame, self-criticism and self-compassion in adolescence. In N. B. Allen & L. B. Sheeber (Eds.), Adolescent emotional development and the emergence of depressive disorders (pp. 195–214). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
• Gross, J. J. (2014). Emotion regulation: conceptual foundations and empirical foundations. J. J. Gross (Ed.). Handbook of emotion regulation (pp. 3-20). New York, London: The Guilford Press.
• Hashem, Z., & Zeinoun, P. (2020). Self-compassion explains less burnout among healthcare professionals. Mindfulness, 11(11), 2542-2551. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-020-01469-5
• Hayes, A. F. (2018). Introduction to mediation, moderation, and conditional process analysis. New York, NY: Guilford Press.
• Holzer, J., Korlat, S., Haider, C., Mayerhofer, M., Pelikan, E., Schober, B., ... & Lüftenegger, M. (2021). Adolescent well-being and learning in times of COVID-19—A multi-country study of basic psychological need satisfaction, learning behavior, and the mediating roles of positive emotion and intrinsic motivation. PloS One, 16(5), 1-22. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0251352
• Kahill, S. (1981). Symptoms of professional burnout: A review of the empirical evidence. Canadian Psychology, 29(3), 284-297. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0079772
• Kaynak, Ü., & Işık, Ş. (2019). Views of school counselors on social interest in school mental health services [Okul psikolojik danışmanları görüşlerine göre okul ruh sağlığı hizmetlerinde sosyal ilgi]. Okul Psikolojik Danışmanlığı Dergisi, 2(1), 1-28. Retrieved from https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/opdd/issue/46711/565090
• Kline, R. B. (2011). Principles and practice of structural equation modeling. (3nd Edition ed.). New York: The Guilford Press.
• Larson, R. (2006). Positive youth development, willful adolescents, and mentoring. Journal of Community Psychology, 34(6), 677-689.
• Lee, K. J., & Lee, S. M. (2020). The role of self-compassion in the academic stress model. Current Psychology, 41, 3195–3204. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-020-00843-9
• Lehto, J. E., Kortesoja, L., & Partonen, T. (2019). School burnout and sleep in Finnish secondary school students. Sleep Science, 12(1), 10-14. https://doi.org/10.5935/1984-0063.20190051
• Lerner, R. M., Dowling, E. M., & Anderson, P. M. (2003). Positive youth development: Thriving as the basis of personhood and civil society. In Beyond the Self (pp. 172-180). Routledge.
• Li, A., Wang, S., Cai, M., Sun, R., & Liu, X. (2021). Self-compassion and life-satisfaction among Chinese self-quarantined residents during COVID-19 pandemic: A moderated mediation model of positive coping and gender. Personality and Individual Differences, 170, 110457. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2020.110457
• Liu, X., Zhang, L., Wu, G., Yang, R., & Liang, Y. (2021). The longitudinal relationship between sleep problems and school burnout in adolescents: A cross-lagged panel analysis. Journal of Adolescence, 88, 14-24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2021.02.001
• Luengo Kanacri, B. P., Eisenberg, N., Thartori, E., Pastorelli, C., Uribe Tirado, L. M., Gerbino, M., & Caprara, G. V. (2017). Longitudinal relations among positivity, perceived positive school climate, and prosocial behavior in Colombian adolescents. Child Development, 88(4), 1100-1114. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.12863
• Luo, Y., Wang, Z., Zhang, H., & Chen, A. (2016). The influence of family socioeconomic status on learning burnout in adolescents: Mediating and moderating effects. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 25(7), 2111-2119. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-016-0400-2
• Maslach, C., & Jackson, S. E. (1981). The measurement of experienced burnout. Journal of Occupational Behavior, 2, 99-113. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.4030020205
• May, R. W., Bauer, K. N., & Fincham, F. D. (2015). School burnout: Diminished academic and cognitive performance. Learning and Individual Differences, 42, 126–131. https:// doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2015.07.015.
• McNamara, S. (2000). Stress in young people: What’s new and what can we do? London: Continuum International Publishing group. Retrieved from http://psycnet.apa.org/record/2001-00528-000
• Meyers, M. C., & van Woerkom, M. (2017). Effects of a strengths intervention on general and work-related well-being: The mediating role of positive affect. Journal of Happiness Studies, 18(3), 671-689. https://doi.org/ 10.1007/s10902-016-9745-x
• Neff, K. D. (2003). The development and validation of a scale to measure self-compassion. Self and Identity, 2(3), 223-250.https://doi.org/10.1080/15298860309027
• Neff, K. D. (2015). Cultivating self-compassion in trauma survivors. In V. M. Follette, J. Briere, D. Rozelle, J. W. Hopper, & D. I. Rome (Eds.), Mindfulness-oriented interventions for trauma: Integrating contemplative practices (pp. 43–58). New York, NY: The Guilford Press.
• Neff, K. D. (2022). Self-Compassion: Theory, Method, Research, and Intervention. Annual Review of Psychology, 74. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-032420-%20031047
• Neff, K. D., & Costigan, A. P. (2014). Self-compassion, well-being, and happiness. Psychologie in Österreich, 2(3), 114–119. Retrieved from http://self-compassion.org/wp-content/uploads/publications/Neff&Costigan.pdf
• Neff, K. D., Hsieh, Y. P., & Dejitterat, K. (2005). Self-compassion, achievement goals, and coping with academic failure. Self and Identity, 4(3), 263-287.https://doi.org/10.1080/13576500444000317
• Poluch, M., Feingold-Link, J., Papanagnou, D., Kilpatrick, J., Ziring, D., & Ankam, N. (2022). Intolerance of Uncertainty and Self-Compassion in Medical Students: Is There a Relationship and Why Should We Care? Journal of Medical Education and Curricular Development, 9,1-3. https://doi.org/10.1177/23821205221077063
• Ponkosonsirilert, T., Laemsak, O., Pisitsungkagarn, K., Jarukasemthawee, S., Audboon, S., & Leangsuksant, T. (2020). Stress, self-compassion, and school burnout in Thai high school students. Journal of Adolescent Medicine and Health, 109. https://doi.org/10.1515/ijamh-2020-0109
• Preacher, K. J., & Hayes, A. F. (2008). Asymptotic and resampling strategies for assessing and comparing indirect effects in multiple mediating models. Behavior Research Methods, 40(3), 879-891. https://doi.org/10.3758/BRM.40.3.879
• Raes, F., Pommier, E., Neff, K. D., & Van Gucht, D. (2011). Construction and factorial validation of a short form of the self‐compassion scale. Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy, 18(3), 250-255. https://doi.org/10.1002/cpp.702
• Salmela-Aro, K., & Tynkkynen, L. (2012). Gendered pathways in school burnout among adolescents. Journal of Adolescence, 35(4), 929-939. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2012.01.001
• Salmela-Aro, K., & Upadyaya, K. (2014). Developmental trajectories of school burnout: Evidence from two longitudinal studies. Learning and Individual Differences, 36, 60–68. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2014.10.016.
• Salmela-Aro, K., Kiuru, N., Leskinen, E., & Nurmi, J. E. (2009). School burnout inventory: Reliability and validity. European Journal of Psychological Assessment, 25, 48–57. http://doi.org/10.1027/1015-5759.25.1.48.
• Sarıçam, H., Erguvan, F. M., Akın, A., & Akça, M. Ş. (2014). The Turkish short version of the intolerance of uncertainty (IUS-12) scale: The study of validity and reliability [Belirsizliğe tahammülsüzlük ölçeği (BTÖ-12) Türkçe formu: Geçerlik ve güvenirlik çalışması]. Route Educational and Social Science Journal, 1(3), 148-157.
• Satake, Y., & Arao, H. (2020). Self-compassion mediates the association between conflict about ability to practice end-of-life care and burnout in emergency nurses. International Emergency Nursing, 53, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ienj.2020.100917
• Satici, B., Saricali, M., Satici, S. A., & Griffiths, M. D. (2020). Intolerance of uncertainty and mental well-being: serial mediation by rumination and fear of COVID-19. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 20, 2731-2742. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-020-00305-0
• Schaufeli, W. B., Salanova, M., González-Romá, V., & Bakker, A. B. (2002). The measurement of engagement and burnout: A two sample confirmatory factor analytic approach. Journal of Happiness Studies, 3(1), 71-92. https://doi.org/ 10.1023/A:1015630930326
• Seçer, İ., Halmatoc, S., Veyis, F., & Ateş, B. (2013). Adapting school burnout inventory to Turkish culture: study of validity and reliability [Okul tükenmişlik ölçeğinin Türk kültürüne uyarlanması: Güvenirlik ve geçerlik çalışması]. Turkish Journal of Education, 2(2), 16-24. https://doi.org/10.19128/turje.181057
• Seibert, G. S., Bauer, K. N., May, R. W., & Fincham, F. D. (2017). Emotion regulation and academic underperformance: The role of school burnout. Learning and Individual Differences, 60, 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2017.10.001
• Shek, D. T., & Chai, W. (2020). The impact of positive youth development attributes and life satisfaction on academic well-being: A longitudinal mediation study. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 2126. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.02126
• Söderström, M., Jeding, K., Ekstedt, M., Perski, A., & Åkerstedt, T. (2012). Insufficient sleep predicts clinical burnout. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 17(2), 175-183. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0027518
• Stern, M., Wagner, M. H., & Thompson, L. A. (2020). Current and COVID-19 challenges with childhood and adolescent sleep. JAMA Pediatrics, 174(11), 1124-1124. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2020.2784
• Tabachnick, B. G., & Fidell, L. S. (2007). Using multivariate statistics (5th ed.). New York: Allyn & Bacon.
• Tang, W. K. (2019). Resilience and self-compassion related with achievement emotions, test anxiety, intolerance of uncertainty, and academic achievement. Psychological Studies, 64(1), 92-102. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12646-019-00482-6
• Temel, Z. F., & Aksoy, B. A. (2010). Adolescent and its development [Ergen ve gelişimi]. Ankara: Nobel Yayıncılık, 22-24. 3.baskı s.24
• Toker, S., & Melamed, S. (2017). Stress, recovery, sleep, and burnout. In L. C. Cooper & C. J. Campbell (Eds.), The handbook of stress and health (pp. 168 –185). Chichester, United Kingdom: Wiley. http://doi.org/ 10.1002/9781118993811.ch10
• Tynan, M. C. (2020). Multidimensional Tolerance of Ambiguity: Construct Validity, Academic Success, And Workplace Outcomes. Doctoral dissertation. Ames, IA: Iowa State University
• Uzun, K., & Karatas, Z. (2020). Predictors of academic self efficacy: intolerance of uncertainty, positive beliefs about worry and academic locus of control. International Education Studies, 13(6), 104-116. https://doi.org/10.5539/ies.v13n6p104
• Waters, L. (2011). A review of school-based positive psychology interventions. The Australian Educational and Developmental Psychologist, 28(2), 75-90. https://doi.org/10.1375/aedp.28.2.75.
• Xu, J., & Ba, Y. (2022). Coping with students’ stress and burnout: learners’ ambiguity of tolerance. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 1-4. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.842113
• Yıldırım, M., & Sarı, T. (2018). Adaptation of the short form of self-compassion scale into Turkish: A validity and reliability study [Öz-şefkat ölçeği kisa formu’nun türkçe uyarlamasi: geçerlik ve güvenirlik çalışması]. Abant İzzet Baysal Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 18 (4) , 2502-2517 . https://doi.org/ 10.17240/aibuefd.2018.18.41844-452171
• Yildiz, V. A., & Kiliç, D. (2020). Investigation of school burnout and school attachment among secondary school students. Educational Sciences: Theory and Practice, 20(3), 44-55. https://doi.org/ 10.12738/jestp.2020.3.004
• Yu, H., Qiao, A., & Gui, L. (2021). Predictors of compassion fatigue, burnout, and compassion satisfaction among emergency nurses: A cross-sectional survey. International Emergency Nursing, 55, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ienj.2020.100961
• Zhao, G., Zhao, R., Yan, X., Conceição, S. C., Cheng, Z., & Peng, Q. (2022). The effects of technostress, intolerance of uncertainty, and ICT competence on learning burnout during COVID-19: a moderated mediation examination. Asia Pacific Journal of Education, 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1080/02188791.2022.2071835
• Zhou, J., Huebner, E. S., & Tian, L. (2021). The reciprocal relations among basic psychological need satisfaction at school, positivity and academic achievement in Chinese early adolescents. Learning and Instruction, 71, 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.learninstruc.2020.101370