An Investigation of the Kurdish EFL University Students' Academic Burnout: Levels and Factors

Abstract

The present study investigates academic burnout among Kurdish EFL students in a college at Salahaddin University-Erbil. The research aims to obtain the level of academic burnout among the students and determine and explain the factors behind the EFL learners' status and the ways students have encountered and overcome burnout. A sample of 97 Kurdish EFL university morning and evening students completed the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey sub-scales: exhaustion, cynicism, and inefficacy. Structured and semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten students to obtain qualitative data. Results discovered that morning students experienced a moderate level of burnout while evening students encountered a slightly higher level of burnout. Additionally, results show that different internal and external factors contributed to burnout among undergraduates. However, students from both classes could utilize effective coping strategies to overcome academic burnout.

The results showed that morning shift students experience a moderate level of academic burnout, while evening shift students experience a slightly higher level. The results also revealed multiple internal and external factors that contributed to the emergence of academic burnout among university students. However, students in both shifts demonstrated their ability to adopt effective strategies to confront and overcome academic burnout, reflecting their resilience and ability to adapt to academic challenges.