Examination of Self-Efficacy and Burnout Dynamics of Preschool Teachers in Turkey and the United States

Abstract

This study aimed to comparatively examine the self-efficacy and burnout levels of preschool teachers in Turkey and the United States. Of the general screening models, the study uses the relational screening model. A total of 90 teachers participated in the study. 32 of the participants were from the United States and 58 were from Turkey. The Teacher Self-Efficacy Scale and Burnout Scale were used in the study. The data were analyzed through the Whitney U-Test. According to the analyses regarding the selfefficacy levels of teachers, a significant difference in student participation sub-dimension as well as in total points in favor of the teachers in Turkey were found. However, no significant difference was found between the two countries with regards to teachers’ burnout levels. Regarding the self-efficacy levels of teachers working in Turkey, a significant difference was found in favor of teachers with two to five years of experience in the student participation sub-dimension, while no significant difference was found in the other sub-dimensions and in total points. On the other hand, no significant difference was determined was found between the self-efficacy levels and years of experience for the teachers in the United States. As for the sub-dimension and total points for emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion of the teachers working in Turkey, a significant difference was determined in favor of those who had a teaching experience of one year or less, while a significant difference was determined only in the mental exhaustion subdimension for the teachers in the United States. The difference in question was in favor of teachers with an experience of two to five years.

Keywords

• Preschool Education, Teacher, Self-Efficacy, Burnout, Professional Experience

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