Understanding school burnout: Does self-control matter?

Three studies examined school burnout and self-control. Study 1 investigated their association in two independent undergraduate samples (N = 243, N = 126) and documented a consistent, negative relationship between dispositional self-control and school burnout when controlling for affective symptomology. Study 2 (N = 428) examined whether dispositional self-control moderated the relationship between school burnout and important academic outcomes (grade point average, absenteeism). A school burnout by dispositional self-control interaction emerged such that poorer academic outcomes occurred at higher levels of school burnout when levels of self-control were lower. Using an experimental design, Study 3 (N = 477) evaluated the casual relationship between school burnout and state self-control. Individuals induced to experience low rather than high state self-control demonstrated a stronger association between school burnout and arithmetic performance. These findings highlight the critical role of dispositional and state self-control in moderating school burnout. Directions for future research are discussed.