Changes in academic burnout, engagement and mental health during a semester of study

Abstract

A cross-sectional study was carried out in order to establish the changes of academic burnout, engagement and mental health in Engineering and Health Sciences students at the beginning and at the end of a semester of study. The participants were 145 students between 16-36 years old of a Colombian public university, evaluated in February 2015 - June 2015 by the Maslach Burnout Inventory Survey to students, Utrecht Work Engagement Scale, Symptom Inventory 90-R. The results indicate increases of exhaustion and cynicism, as well as reduction of dedication and depression during the semester; burnout is more severe in Engineering at the beginning of semester, while the engagement is greater in Health Sciences. It is concluded that there are changes in the rise of exhaustion (exhaustion-cynicism), decrease in engagement (dedication) and mental health, especially regarding the symptoms of depression, in addition to the distinction of burnout-engagement in Engineering and Health Sciences at the beginning of semester.