The relationship between job satisfaction and occupational burnout among special education school administrators and teachers

The primary aim of this study is to determine the levels of job satisfaction and occupational burnout among school administrators and teachers working in special education institutions in Aydın province, and to examine the relationship between these two variables. The study also aims to explore how various demographic characteristics (gender, age, marital status, parenthood, educational background, field of specialization, and professional seniority) influence levels of job satisfaction and burnout. The present study was conducted during the 2024–2025 academic year and was structured within the framework of the descriptive survey model. The study population consisted of a total of 14 special education schools, including four practice schools, two special education vocational schools, and one special education kindergarten located in the central district of Efeler (Aydın); one practice school, one special education vocational school, and one special education kindergarten in the district of Nazilli; one practice school in Bozdoğan; one practice school and one special education vocational school in Söke; and one practice school in Çine. The total number of administrators and teachers within this population was 400. The study sample comprised 344 participants, of whom 88.7% were teachers (n = 305) and 11.3% were administrators (n = 39). Based on the study data, it can be stated that the sample predominantly consisted of teachersTo collect data, the study employed three instruments: a Personal Information Form, the Maslach Burnout Inventory – Educators Survey (MBI-ES), and the Job Satisfaction Scale. The Personal Information Form, developed by the researcher, includes multiple-choice and open-ended items related to participants' roles, age, gender, marital status, parental status, level of education, school type, teaching branch, and years of experience. The MBI-ES, originally developed by Maslach, Jackson, and Schwab (1996) and adapted to Turkish by İnce and Şahin (2015), consists of 22 items that measure burnout across three subdimensions: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment. In this study, the scale consists of 20 items structured on a 5-point Likert scale, addressing intrinsic and demonstrated high internal consistency, with Cronbach's alpha coefficients ranging between .74 and .88. Job satisfaction was measured using the scale developed by Kuzgun et al. (1999), which extrinsic satisfaction. The internal reliability coefficients of the scale ranged between .77 and .87 in the current study. All instruments were piloted prior to data collection and were evaluated for clarity, usability, and measurement consistency. According to the findings, teachers generally exhibited low levels of burnout, with no significant risk detected in the emotional exhaustion and depersonalization dimensions. However, some declines in perceived personal accomplishment were observed. Overall job satisfaction levels ranged from moderate to high; participants reported alignment between their professional roles and qualifications, although their desire for professional development appeared to be inadequately supported. Demographic analysis revealed that variables such as gender, age, educational background, professional seniority, and field of specialization significantly affected job satisfaction and burnout levels. Female teachers reported higher levels of overall satisfaction and desire for professional development compared to their male counterparts, while male teachers showed higher depersonalization scores. Older teachers—particularly those aged 45 and above—reported greater job satisfaction and higher perceived compatibility with their qualifications. Teachers holding postgraduate degrees demonstrated stronger development motivation, yet also exhibited higher overall burnout levels. When analyzed by teaching branch, special education teachers showed higher burnout and lower job satisfaction than teachers from other fields. A positive relationship was found between years of experience and both job satisfaction and personal accomplishment, with teachers having 24 years or more of experience reporting the highest levels of satisfaction. . As job satisfaction increased, burnout levels decreased, and perceptions of personal Finally, a significant negative correlation was identified between job satisfaction and burnout accomplishment improved. These findings suggest that the level of satisfaction teachers derive from