Dynamic job demands and resources in early childhood education: A qualitative realist inquiry on the mechanisms to burnout

Burnout, defined by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization , and diminished personal accomplishment, is prevalent among early childhood education (ECE) professionals. This study utilized qualitative realist inquiry to explore burnout mechanisms among Head Start staff. Applying the job demands-resources theory, we investigated how job demands contribute to emotional exhaustion and depersonalization while examining resources that promote personal accomplishment. Through two interviews with seven ECE professionals experiencing varied burnout, we employed thematic analysis and causation coding to build context-mechanism-outcome configurations. Findings highlight the dynamic interplay between organizational, interpersonal, and personal factors shaping burnout, revealing that demands and resources shift by perspective and time. • Realist inquiry is a methodological framework to employ causation coding analysis to examine burnout in ECE professionals. • Negativeculture, workload, classroom demands, and personal factors are mechanisms for increased emotional exhaustion. • Social strain, negative communication, and secondary trauma are mechanisms for increased depersonalization. • Positive culture, communication, peer support, psycap, and meaning are mechanisms for increased personal accomplishment.