Undergraduate Psychology Research Methods Journal

Perceived Competence, Autonomy, and Relatedness as Predictors Of Academic Burnout in Undergraduate Students

Ben Maxwell, Lindenwood University

Abstract

Burnout is one of the most pervasive threats to students’ psychological and physical well-being. The present study was conducted to examine the relationships among academic burnout in college students and self-perceived levels of autonomy, competence, and relatedness. The researcher postulated that scores of perceived competence, autonomy, and relatedness would be negatively correlated with levels of academic burnout. One hundred thirty participants—57 men and 73 women—were recruited from the Lindenwood Participant Pool. In order to collect data, participants were given a packet of surveys. The three surveys were a demographic questionnaire, the Basic Psychological Needs Survey (accessed from www.selfdeterminationtheory.org), and the Maslach Burnout Inventory – Student Survey (accessed from www.mindgarden.com). Results suggest competence and autonomy may predict levels of academic burnout, while relatedness bears a no association. This study offers a base on which future research designs can be constructed to examine burnout among Lindenwood University students from a student-context perspective. Because of its serious implications, burnout is a very important subject to study.

Recommended Citation

Maxwell, Ben (2012) "Perceived Competence, Autonomy, and Relatedness as Predictors Of Academic Burnout in Undergraduate Students," Undergraduate Psychology Research Methods Journal: Vol. 1: Iss. 14, Article 13.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.lindenwood.edu/psych_journals/vol1/iss14/13