Burnout in graduate assistants

Graduate assistants occupy a unique position in higher education, balancing academic responsibilities with employment obligations in exchange for tuition remission and modest stipends. This population is known for high levels of stress without access to proper resources to cope with the high demands of graduate school. Limited research has shown high levels of burnout in graduate assistants. Burnout is a psychological syndrome resulting from sustained stress from one’s work. Burnout is measured using three dimensions: exhaustion, inefficacy, and cynicism. Burnout, stress, and other mental health concerns are associated with negative health consequences, stifled academic success, and can even prevent degree completion. Graduate students are already inherently less likely to finish their degrees. In this novel and exploratory study, I apply quantitative survey methodology to measure burnout in graduate assistants. I employ the Maslach Burnout Inventory Student Survey and General Survey to measure academic and occupational burnout, respectively. In addition, I asked participants to report on demographic factors, academic factors, and occupational factors to determine relationships between these independent variables and both academic and occupational exhaustion, inefficacy, and cynicism. Through bivariate and multivariate linear regression modeling, I found significant relationships between independent and dependent variables. A common theme was the resilience of international students to burnout. Additionally, I found positive associations between the number of credits a student takes and both occupational and academic exhaustion. Non-cisgender participants were significantly associated with higher levels of both occupational and academic exhaustion. Additionally, I provide suggestions for future research and implementation of anti-burnout initiatives.