Burnout : factors associated with teacher-coaches and burnout

This study was conducted to determine the factors associated with coaching burnout in teacher-coaches. Some of the factors identified as possible characteristics of burnout are gender, level at which the participants coach, age, compensation for coaching, and if the individual success of players or the team affects burnout. Past research has identified gender, level, and other personal factors as being factors related to burnout.For this study, forty teacher-coaches were used (males n = 26, females n =14). The researcher randomly selected teacher-coaches from middle schools and high schools in Indiana and Illinois. A survey entitled "Coaching Burnout" was used to gather the data. The survey was a researcher-created instrument that contained three sections. These sections consisted of a Likert-scale rating format, and sections on the demographics and background information of the participants. Participants completed the survey and returned it to the researcher.Specific computations were made on the data to determine which factors were significant at the .05 level to burnout. The tests conducted were a Pearson Correlation test, independent t-tests, a one-way ANOVA, and Cronbach's alpha. Age, gender, compensation, sports, success of the players and team, coaching years, and teaching years were factors investigated in the study. The age of the participants and compensation were found to be the only factors related to burnout. All of the other factors had no significance and could not be identified as a factor relating to burnout of the participants.As a result of the factors not being significant to burnout, the participants in this study are not currently exhibiting burnout. This does not mean the participants have not experienced burnout in the past or will not experience burnout in the future. During this study, the researcher did identify two factors related to burnout, but further research still needs to be conducted on the topic. Because burnout is a real phenomenon in teachercoaches, characteristics and factors of burnout need to be identified so the proper guidance and support can be given to those performing dual-roles in our schools.