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Published in: International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health 7/2014

01-10-2014 | Original Article

Primary school teachers in China: associations of organizational justice and effort–reward imbalance with burnout and intentions to leave the profession in a cross-sectional sample

Authors: Adrian Loerbroks, Heng Meng, Min-Li Chen, Raphael Herr, Peter Angerer, Jian Li

Published in: International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health | Issue 7/2014

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Abstract

Objective

We examined associations of organizational justice (OJ) and effort–reward imbalance (ERI) with burnout and intentions to leave the teaching profession (ILTP) among primary school teachers in China.

Methods

Six primary schools located in Wuhan, China, were randomly selected from three different socioeconomic areas in 2010. In total, these schools employed 533 teachers, and 436 of these (82 %) participated in a cross-sectional survey. OJ and ERI were assessed by 13-item and 10-item questionnaires, respectively. Burnout was measured using the emotional exhaustion subscale of the Chinese Maslach Burnout Inventory. ILTP were operationalized based on the frequency of thoughts about turnover during the past year. Logistic regression-based odds ratios (ORs) with 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated separately for OJ and ERI. In a second step, these work stress scales were entered into the same regression model.

Results

Separate regression models suggested moderate to strong associations of OJ and ERI with burnout and ILTP. After simultaneous adjustment, the overall OJ score remained associated with burnout and ILTP, but ERI appeared to be the stronger and more consistent determinant of both outcomes. For instance, an increase of 1 standard deviation of the ERI score was associated with an OR of 2.60 (95 % CI 1.97–3.43) for burnout and with an OR of 2.26 (95 % CI 1.66–3.08) for ILTP.

Conclusions

Organizational justice and in particular ERI appeared to be determinants of burnout and ILTP among primary school teachers in China.
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Metadata
Title
Primary school teachers in China: associations of organizational justice and effort–reward imbalance with burnout and intentions to leave the profession in a cross-sectional sample
Authors
Adrian Loerbroks
Heng Meng
Min-Li Chen
Raphael Herr
Peter Angerer
Jian Li
Publication date
01-10-2014
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health / Issue 7/2014
Print ISSN: 0340-0131
Electronic ISSN: 1432-1246
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-013-0912-7

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