The Relationship between Religiosity and Burnout of Principals: The Meaning of Educational Work and Role Variables as Mediators

The present study focused on the phenomenon of burnout amongst high school principals within three sectors: state-secular, state-religious, and ultra-Orthodox. Based on the cognitive approach of Lazarus (1996), the purpose of the work was to examine the relationship between religiosity and burnout, via mediator variables namely the meaning of the educational work and role variables (status, workload, wage, difficulties with teachers, and demands of parents). The sample consisted of 69 principals of three populations representing the structure of the Jewish educational system in Israel: 25 principals of the state-secular education sector, 23 of the state-religious education sector, and 21 of the ultra-Orthodox education sector. The data, collected through questionnaires, were analyzed by structural equation models. The findings which confirmed the main hypotheses, should encourage researchers and practitioners to focus more attention on understanding the phenomenon of burnout in a socio-cultural context.