Maria Luisa Pedditzi

Bio: Maria Luisa Pedditzi is an academic researcher from University of Cagliari. The author has contributed to research in topics: Burnout & Goal theory. The author has an hindex of 4, co-authored 22 publications receiving 57 citations.

[Psycho-social sources of stress and burnout in schools: research on a sample of Italian teachers].

Abstract: Summary «Psycho-social sources of stress and burnout in schools: research on a sample of italian teachers». Background: Numerous studies show the existence of stress and burnout among teachers. The psycho-social sources of stress and burnout in teachers cover many aspects, often of conflictual nature, affecting the relationship with the school organization, colleagues, parents, students, and many other variables. Objective: This study aimed at exploring the incidence of burnout among teachers in primary and secondary schools and to describing the characteristics of burnout taking into account the educational level, the location of the school and the teacher’s length of service. Another objective of this study was to identify, among the principal sources of teachers’ job stress, those sources that are more able to predict the occurrence of burnout. Among these predictors of stress we considered the personal image of the teacher with respect to the work-family interface and the gap between professional and social status. Methods: 882 teachers from the cities of Rome, Bari, Cagliari and Sassari completed the Maslach burnout Inventory (MBI), and an adaptation to the school environment of the OSI (Organizational Stress Indicator, Cooper, Sloan & Williams). The data were analyzed using multiple linear regression and analysis of the multivariate variance. Results: 29.9% of the teachers surveyed presented high levels of emotional exhaustion, 33.8% had the highest scores of depersonalization; 28.3% had a low level of professional achievement; 8.2% of the teachers were in burnout. Interpersonal conflict and personal image were included among the predictors of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. Conclusions: The study highlights the existence of burnout among teachers and the need for prevention, particularly against depersonalization, that affects the quality of both the teacher-student relationship and the teaching-learning process. Riassunto Introduzione: Numerosi studi evidenziano fra i docenti la presenza di disturbi riconducibili allo stress e alla sintomatologia del burnout. Le fonti psico-sociali di stress e burnout degli insegnanti includono numerosi aspetti, spesso di natura conflittuale, che rimandano al rapporto con l’organizzazione scolastica, con i colleghi, i genitori degli studenti, gli alunni e numerose altre variabili. Obiettivi: Lo studio intende esplorare l’incidenza del burnout fra i docenti della scuola primaria e secondaria di primo grado e descriverne le caratteristiche in riferimento al livello scolastico, alla provincia di provenienza e all’anzianita di servizio. Lo studio intende inoltre identificare i principali predittori dell’esaurimento emotivo e della depersonalizzazione fra le fonti di stress percepite dagli insegnanti. Fra questi predittori dello stress si considera l’immagine personale del docente che riguarda l’interfaccia famiglia-lavoro e il divario fra lo status professionale e quello sociale percepito dai docenti. Metodo: Si somministra l’MBI (Maslach Burnout Inventory) e un adattamento al contesto scolastico dell’OSI (Organizational Stress Indicator, Cooper, Sloan e Williams) a un campione di 882 insegnanti provenienti da Roma, Bari, Cagliari e Sassari. Si analizzano i dati mediante l’analisi della varianza multivariata e l’analisi della regressione lineare multipla. Risultati: Si evidenzia che il 29,9% degli insegnanti intervistati presenta livelli elevati di esaurimento emotivo; il 33,8% ottiene i punteggi massimi di depersonalizzazione; il 28,3% presenta una bassa realizzazione professionale. Il burnout conclamato e presente nell’8,2% degli insegnanti. Fra i principali predittori dell’esaurimento emotivo e della depersonalizzazione figurano il conflitto interpersonale e l’immagine personale del docente. Conclusioni: Si evidenzia l’ampia portata del problema e il bisogno di misure di prevenzione in particolare contro la depersonalizzazione, che deteriora la qualita della relazione docente-allievo e il processo di insegnamento-apprendimento.

Moral Disengagement, Empathy, and Cybervictim's Representation as Predictive Factors of Cyberbullying among Italian Adolescents.

Abstract: This study aimed to evaluate which aspects of moral disengagement (MD), empathy, and representations of the victim’s experience (VER) could be predictors of cyberbullying (CB) One hundred and eight-nine students (11–17 years old) completed 3 self-report questionnaires: An MD scale, an empathy scale, and a CB questionnaire In relation to the personal experience of CB, four groups were identified: Victim, bully, bully/victim, and no experience with CB The linear bivariate correlation analysis shows correlations between empathy and VER, between empathy and MD, and between MD and VER A multinomial logistic regression identified which predictors could increase a subject’s probability of belonging to one of the four groups regarding the personal experience of CB (victim, bully, bully/victim, no experience) Findings highlighted that low cognitive empathy might increase the probability for a student to belong to the bullies’ group, rather than the victims’ group Furthermore, low perception of the consequences of CB on the victim might increase the probability of belonging to the bully, bully/victim, and no experience groups Then, a high score in the diffusion of responsibility was a significant predictor of belonging to the victim group rather than the no experience group Results from this study confirm the need for preventive measures against CB, including the empowerment of cognitive empathy, decreasing the diffusion of responsibility, and increasing the awareness of the consequences of CB on the victim

Teacher Satisfaction in Relationships With Students and Parents and Burnout.

Abstract: In the educational field, the role of the support component of the teacher-student relationship is well known, while the role of the teacher-student relationship on teacher burnout is a more current field of investigation. Several studies on the sources of burnout have recently focused on job satisfaction and teacher-student satisfaction. However, the role of teacher-parent satisfaction is still little explored in this field. Moreover, in the Italian school context, students’ seniority and educational level require further investigation, as the average age of teachers is particularly high compared to their European colleagues. The present study aims to examine in a sample of 882 Italian teachers the presence of burnout and differences in teacher-student and teacher-parent satisfaction between primary (students aged 6–10 years) and lower secondary (students aged 11–13 years) teachers. A further objective is to test whether teacher-student and teacher-parent satisfaction and seniority can be significant predictors of burnout. Teachers completed the Job Satisfaction Scale (MESI) and the MBI- Educators Survey and the data were then processed using MANOVA and multiple linear regression analysis. The results revealed that 8.2% of the teachers suffered from burnout and lower secondary teachers showed the highest levels of emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation and reduced personal accomplishment. Predictors of emotional exhaustion were job dissatisfaction and seniority, and predictors of depersonalisation were job dissatisfaction and teacher-student dissatisfaction. Finally, predictors of personal accomplishment were also teacher-parent satisfaction and teacher-student satisfaction. The implications of these findings for practice and research are discussed in this article.

Motivation to Donate, Job Crafting, and Organizational Citizenship Behavior in Blood Collection Volunteers in Non-Profit Organizations.

Abstract: This study assesses the levels of and relationships between the Motivation to donate, Job crafting propensity, and the Organizational citizenship behavior of blood collection volunteers in a non-profit association. An Italian sample of AVIS (the Italian Association of Voluntary Blood donors) blood donors (N = 1215) actively involved in organizing blood collection, were asked to complete the Italian version of the Volunteer Function Index, the Job crafting scale, and the Organizational citizenship behavior scale. The tools were verified by Confirmatory factor analysis and their relationships were explored using Structural equation modeling for hidden variables. The three constructs have overall high scores. Motivation to donate and Job crafting show a clear correlation, with the latter influencing volunteer Organizational citizenship behavior. The study highlights the need to take into consideration the Motivation to donate, Job crafting and Organizational citizenship behavior of volunteers, particularly in countries such as Italy, where blood collection is almost exclusively carried out thanks to spontaneous, altruistic, and disinterested commitment.

Doing qualitative research: a practical handbook

Abstract: Doing qualitative research: a practical handbook, by David Silverman, Los Angeles, Sage, 2010, 456 pp., AU$65.00, ISBN 978-1-84860-033-1, ISBN 978-1-94960-034-8. Available in Australia and New Zeal...

[Burnout in Portuguese Healthcare Professionals: An Analysis at the National Level].

Abstract: Introducao: O burnout e uma sindrome psicologica, caracterizada por elevada exaustao emocional, elevada despersonalizacao e baixa realizacao profissional, que conduz a erosao dos valores pessoais, profissionais e de saude. Este estudo reporta a prevalencia do burnout em profissionais de saude Portugueses. Material e Metodos: Os niveis de burnout foram estimados pelo Maslach Burnout Inventory - Human Services Survey numa escala ordinal de zero (nunca) a seis (sempre) pontos. A amostra foi constituida por 1 262 enfermeiros e 466 medicos com medias de idade de 36,8 anos (DP = 12,2) e 38,7 (DP = 11,0), respetivamente. Os participantes foram provenientes de todos os distritos nacionais (35% Lisboa; 18% Porto; 6% Aveiro, 6% Setubal, 5% Coimbra; 5% regioes autonomas), com atuacao em meio hospitalar (54%), centros de saude (Unidade de Saude Familiar - 30%; Unidades de Cuidados de Saude Primarios - 8%) e outras instituicoes publicas/privadas (8%). Resultados: A analise dos niveis de burnout revelou que ambas as categorias profissionais apresentaram niveis moderados a elevados de burnout (M = 3,0; DP = 1,7) nao sendo significativas as diferencas entre as duas profissoes. Vila Real (M = 3,8; SD = 1,7) e a Madeira (M = 2,5; DP = 1,5) sao as regioes onde os niveis de burnout sao mais e menos elevados, respetivamente. Os niveis de burnout nao diferiram significativamente entre Hospitais, Unidades de Cuidados de Saude Personalizados e Unidades de Saude Familiares. Os profissionais com maior tempo na funcao sao menos acometidos por burnout (r = -0,15) nao ocorrendo associacao significativa com a duracao da jornada de trabalho (r = 0,04). A ma qualidade das condicoes de trabalho foi o melhor preditor do burnout (r = -0,35). Discussao: A ocorrencia da sindrome de burnout em profissionais de saude portugueses e frequente, estando associada a percepcao de mas condicoes de trabalho e a menor duracao do tempo de servico. A incidencia de burnout apresenta diferencas regionais que podem estar associadas ao aumento do stress imposto pelo exercicio da profissao em condicoes sub-otimas para a prestacao dos cuidados de saude. Os resultados alertam para a necessidade de intervencoes para melhorar as condicoes de trabalho e formacao inicial dos profissionais de saude de forma a garantir a qualidade do servico prestado aos utentes e o bem-estar pessoal destes profissionais. Conclusoes: A nivel nacional, entre 2011 e 2013, 21,6% dos profissionais de saude apresentaram burnout moderado e 47,8% burnout elevado. A percecao de mas condicoes de trabalho foi o principal preditor da ocorrencia de burnout nos profissionais de saude Portugueses.

The impact of workaholism on nurses’ burnout and disillusion

Abstract: Method: The study followed a cross-sectional design. 614 nurses of six hospitals in South Italy have compiled two Self-report questionnaires: the Dutch Utrecht WorkAholism Scale (workaholism Italian version) and the Link Burnout Questionnaire (burnout). Part of the group of subjects was diagnosed with both syndromes or considered at risk of developing them. The impact of workaholism on burnout was examined using Structural Equation Models for each variable.