Exhaustion in Higher Education: The Interrelationship Between Academic Burnout and Psychoactive Substance Use

Abstract This study aims. to examine the association between academic burnout and alcohol and illicit substance abuse or dependence among university students. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 3060 undergraduates at the State University of Londrina (Brazil) in 2019. Substance use was assessed using the ASSIST, and burnout was measured with the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI-S), categorized into tertiles. Associations were estimated using Poisson regression with robust variance. Abuse or dependence was identified in 24.5% of alcohol users and 16.9% of illicit substance users. Academic burnout was significantly associated with substance use among undergraduate students in the fully adjusted Model 3. High levels of total burnout increased the prevalence of alcohol abuse or dependence (aPR3 = 1.59; 95% CI, 1.35–1.88) and illicit substance abuse or dependence (aPR3 = 1.36; 95% CI, 1.12–1.66). Among burnout domains, high personal burnout showed the strongest association with alcohol consumption (aPR3 = 1.68; 95% CI, 1.43–1.97). Conversely, illicit substance use was primarily associated with high teacher-related (aPR3 = 1.32; 95% CI, 1.10–1.59) and peer-related burnout (aPR3 = 1.32; 95% CI, 1.10–1.58). Academic burnout exhibits an association with alcohol and illicit substance abuse or dependence. These findings underscore covarying risks that should be considered when designing institutional mental health and prevention strategies.