Burnout rates among undergraduate students when compared to employed non-students

Burnout is caused from prolonged stress, which can result in physical and emotional exhaustion. This thesis set out to determine whether burnout levels considerably higher in third level students when compared to employed non-students. The aim of the research was to explore university student’s level of academic burnout and to investigate whether it was significantly higher when compared to employed non-students. It hypothesised that (i) burnout levels are considerably higher in the student population when compared to working non-students and (ii) students that work while attending university will have higher burnout rates when compared to non-working students. The main objective of the research was to gain insight into the burnout levels of undergraduate students and compare them to employed non-students to determine if there was a statistically significant difference between both groups. Burnout was measured using the “Maslach Burnout Inventory Survey”. A quantitative method was used in gathering and analysing the data. Questionnaires were distributed online via Survey Monkey to participants. A one-way between-groups multivariate analysis of variance was performed to investigate burnout differences in students and non students. The results demonstrated that burnout was higher in undergraduate students. Furthermore, limitations of the research and future implications are discussed.