A Study on the Levels and Causes of Academic Burnout among Iranian English Language Students and Their Coping Strategies

Abstract

This study aims to examine Iranian English language university students’ levels and causes of academic burnout and their coping strategies. The participants were 207 Iranian English Language students. A mixed-method research design was used to address the research questions. In the quantitative phase, the Persian-translated Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey (MBI-SS) was used for data collection. In the qualitative part, 15 highly burned-out participants, identified in the first phase, underwent oral semi-structured interviews. The questionnaire results indicated that students did not suffer significantly from burnout. In addition, the findings revealed no significant difference in students’ level of burnout concerning gender and level of education. The qualitative data analysis indicated excessive academic workload and vague future job opportunities as the two most important reasons for burnout. Moreover, sleeping and spending time with friends were found as the most frequently used coping strategies among the students. The results were discussed and the implications were presented.