The Relationship between Personality Traits, Perfectionism and Job Burnout: The Case of Iranian High-School Teachers

Abstract

The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between personality traits and job burnout among high school teachers. To this end, 205 high school teachers were randomly selected through multi-stage sampling in Kashan, Iran. The data collection instruments included NEO Five-Factor Inventory–Form S (NEO-FFI-S), Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), and Hill Perfectionism Questionnaire. Pearson Correlation and Stepwise Multiple Regression were run in SPSS-22 to analyze the data. The results indicated that job burnout has a direct relationship with neuroticism and an inverse relationship with extroversion, agreeableness, openness, and conscientiousness. In addition, there is a statistically significant relationship between negative perfectionism and job burnout. Also, neuroticism, as the best predictor, as well as conscientiousness, negative perfectionism, and agreeableness could explain 27% of job burnout variance among teachers. Therefore, these traits could predict job burnout and, in turn, be good indices for job satisfaction. However, those with higher negative perfectionism are prone to experience more job burnout because of self-skepticism and self-criticism. Hence, more attention should be paid to the roles of these traits in teachers’ job burnout.