Examining the Role of Workload and Conflict with Parents in Burnout among Early-Career Elementary School Teachers: The Moderating Effect of Social Relationships

Purpose: This study explored the relationships between workload burden, conflicts with parents, and burnout among early-career elementary school teachers, and explored the moderating effect of social relationships in these associations. Methods: The study sample consisted of 281 elementary school teachers in the 2- and 6-year teaching experience cohorts as of 2022. Using structural equation modeling, this study conducted interaction analyses to examine whether the relationships of teachers with other teachers, students, parents, and administrators moderated the predictive effects of workload and parent-teacher conflict on emotional exhaustion, reduced personal accomplishment, and depersonalization. Results: Student and parent relationships buffered emotional exhaustion under guidance burdens, while parental conflict increased exhaustion regardless of these relationships. Under administrative burdens, relationships with colleagues and students buffered reduced accomplishment, and those with administrators buffered exhaustion. Conclusion: Based on these findings, this study proposes the importance of positive relationships with students and parents, resolving conflicts with parents, and improving school climate.