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The Role of Mindfulness and Resilience in Predicting Job Burnout
teaching experience) show lower levels of resilience and mindfulness com-
pared to those with the longest tenure. These results are consistent with
the findings of Flores-Buils, Caballer-Miedes, and Mateu-Pérez (2022), who as-
sumed that more experienced teachers have more opportunities to develop
resilience in school than other teachers with less experience. Associations
with mindfulness have been shown to be more complex. Some authors dis-
tinguish between two aspects of teachers’ mindfulness (Frank, Jennings, and
Greenberg 2016): the intrapersonal dimension, which is related to attentional
experience directed at oneself, and the interpersonal dimension, which re-
quires the capacity of empathy and receptivity in relationships with students.
In a recent study conducted on a large sample of Spanish teachers in dif-
ferent education stages, work experience was negatively related to intraper-
sonal mindfulness and positively to interpersonal mindfulness. The authors
described teachers with greater experience as more likely to activate their
‘automatic pilot’ and therefore not as focused as those who are at the be-
ginning of their teaching career. In contrast, they observed higher interper-
sonal mindfulness in teachers with greater experience, indicating that they
are more aware of their relationships with students and receptive to their de-
mands (Moyano et al. 2021). When comparing the results of different studies,
it is important to consider the measurement tools used to assess mindful-
ness. In our research, we used the MAAS scale to measure mindfulness as
a trait, in terms of one’s predisposition to be mindful in daily life, while the
results of the aforementioned study (Moyano et al. 2021) refer to the state
of mindfulness (using the Mindfulness in Teaching Scale), which is specifi-
cally related to experiences teachers have in the classroom. Inconsistencies
in research results can be explained to some extent by different aspects of
mindfulness.
Regression analysis determined a combined effect of mindfulness and re-
silience on work-related burnout in primary school teachers – higher lev-
els of resilience and mindfulness were significant predictors of lower levels
of burnout. Although the two constructs made significant relative contribu-
tions to the prediction of burnout, mindfulness has a slightly stronger predic-
tive value. Thus, cultivating resilience and mindfulness may assist in prevent-
ing psychological distress and burnout in education professionals. Our find-
ings are supported by other previous studies (Abenavoli et al. 2013; González-
Valero et al. 2021; Luken and Sammons 2016).
The results of the current study have great application value as they rep-
resent a good starting point for planning and promoting preventive activi-
ties and programmes among Slovenian teachers in order to maintain or im-
23
teaching experience) show lower levels of resilience and mindfulness com-
pared to those with the longest tenure. These results are consistent with
the findings of Flores-Buils, Caballer-Miedes, and Mateu-Pérez (2022), who as-
sumed that more experienced teachers have more opportunities to develop
resilience in school than other teachers with less experience. Associations
with mindfulness have been shown to be more complex. Some authors dis-
tinguish between two aspects of teachers’ mindfulness (Frank, Jennings, and
Greenberg 2016): the intrapersonal dimension, which is related to attentional
experience directed at oneself, and the interpersonal dimension, which re-
quires the capacity of empathy and receptivity in relationships with students.
In a recent study conducted on a large sample of Spanish teachers in dif-
ferent education stages, work experience was negatively related to intraper-
sonal mindfulness and positively to interpersonal mindfulness. The authors
described teachers with greater experience as more likely to activate their
‘automatic pilot’ and therefore not as focused as those who are at the be-
ginning of their teaching career. In contrast, they observed higher interper-
sonal mindfulness in teachers with greater experience, indicating that they
are more aware of their relationships with students and receptive to their de-
mands (Moyano et al. 2021). When comparing the results of different studies,
it is important to consider the measurement tools used to assess mindful-
ness. In our research, we used the MAAS scale to measure mindfulness as
a trait, in terms of one’s predisposition to be mindful in daily life, while the
results of the aforementioned study (Moyano et al. 2021) refer to the state
of mindfulness (using the Mindfulness in Teaching Scale), which is specifi-
cally related to experiences teachers have in the classroom. Inconsistencies
in research results can be explained to some extent by different aspects of
mindfulness.
Regression analysis determined a combined effect of mindfulness and re-
silience on work-related burnout in primary school teachers – higher lev-
els of resilience and mindfulness were significant predictors of lower levels
of burnout. Although the two constructs made significant relative contribu-
tions to the prediction of burnout, mindfulness has a slightly stronger predic-
tive value. Thus, cultivating resilience and mindfulness may assist in prevent-
ing psychological distress and burnout in education professionals. Our find-
ings are supported by other previous studies (Abenavoli et al. 2013; González-
Valero et al. 2021; Luken and Sammons 2016).
The results of the current study have great application value as they rep-
resent a good starting point for planning and promoting preventive activi-
ties and programmes among Slovenian teachers in order to maintain or im-
23
