Teachers' Emotional Exhaustion, Depersonalization, and Professional Efficacy toward Teaching Quality

Abstract

This study aims to examine the effects of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization on teaching quality, as well as the mediating role of teacher efficacy in these relationships. The study employed a quantitative approach with an explanatory survey design involving Buddhist Religious Education teachers in Lampung Province, Indonesia. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire adapted from established instruments measuring burnout, teacher efficacy, and teaching quality. The data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling. The findings indicate that depersonalization negatively affects both teacher efficacy and teaching quality. Emotional exhaustion was found to negatively influence teacher efficacy; however, it did not directly affect teaching quality. Teacher efficacy demonstrated a positive effect on teaching quality and emerged as a crucial psychological resource in supporting effective instructional practices. Furthermore, teacher efficacy significantly mediated the relationships between emotional exhaustion and teaching quality as well as between depersonalization and teaching quality. These results suggest that the adverse impact of burnout on teaching quality occurs primarily through a decline in teachers’ confidence in their professional capabilities. This study contributes to the integration of Burnout Theory and Social Cognitive Theory by highlighting teacher efficacy as a key mechanism linking teachers’ psychological well-being and instructional performance. The findings underscore the importance of strengthening teacher efficacy through psychological support, workload management, and professional development initiatives to sustain high-quality teaching.