University of Missouri - Saint Louis

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An oral examination in defense of the dissertation for the degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Education

Christiane Hubbard-Valentine
M.Ed. in Adult and Higher Education, December, 2008, University of Missouri – St. Louis.
M.A. in Psychology, May, 2006, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.
B.A. in Psychology, May, 2004, Illinois State University.

Maslach’s Burnout in Part-Time Faculty at a Four-Year Postsecondary Institution

Abstract

Previous researchers have suggested that many part-time faculty are over-worked, underpaid, frustrated with their faculty status, and experience stress and burnout (Antony & Valadez, 2002; Brown, 2009). Burnout may be attributed to the demands of pieced together work or other factors, but it is uncertain. Accordingly, the purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to examine burnout and demographic factors (age and gender) that contributed to burnout among part-time faculty (moonlighters, freeway flyers, and auxiliary) at a four-year postsecondary institution in the Midwest.

Participants completed an online survey consisting of the Maslach Burnout Inventory Educators Survey, demographic questions, and open-ended questions. Of the 420 participants invited to take the survey, 113 provided useable surveys. The majority (91.2%) of respondents were non-minority, over half (61.1%) were female, and almost half (46%) were age 55 and older.

The Maslach Burnout Inventory consists of three components: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment. The survey provides a subscale score for each component and an individual’s burnout level is determined by a combination of the subscale scores. Overall, part-time faculty in this study experienced a moderate level of burnout. However when examining burnout level by part-time faculty type, moonlighters and auxiliary faculty experienced a low level of burnout and freeway flyers experienced a moderate level of burnout. Respondents indicated that working conditions and students were the most stressful parts of working as a part-time faculty member.

Results of a MANOVA, F(2, 110) = 8.22, p < .001, revealed a statistically significant difference in the level of emotional exhaustion between freeway flyers and moonlighters, and freeway flyers and auxiliary, but there was not a statistically significant difference between moonlighters and auxiliary. Results of another MANOVA, F (2, 105) = 5.002, p < .01, revealed a statistically significant difference in level of emotional exhaustion by age such that part-time faculty age 20-39 experienced higher emotional exhaustion than those age 55 and older. When combined with part-time faculty type, age was not significantly related to level of burnout. Gender was also not significantly related to level of burnout, when compared alone and/or with part-time faculty type.

Date: September 8, 2011

Time: 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Place: E. Desmond Lee Technology and Learning Center

Defense of Dissertation Committee

	Patricia Boyer, Ph.D. (Advisor)	Kathleen Haywood, Ph.D.
	Lynn Beckwith, Jr., Ed.D.	Kenneth Owen, Ed.D.

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