Toward a valid measure of student burnout in Serbia: Psychometric properties of the Maslach Burnout Inventory – Student Survey (MBI-SS) [Author Accepted Manuscript]

Objectives: Student burnout is a syndrome resulting from prolonged stress caused by cognitively and emotionally demanding academic tasks. Given its potential to negatively impact students’ academic performance and mental health, a valid and reliable tool to assess student burnout is crucial. This study aimed to examine the underlying structure of the Serbian translation of the Maslach Burnout Inventory – Student Survey (MBI-SS). Method: Data were collected online from 534 university students in Serbia. Data used to test the factorial structure of the MBI-SS were obtained from two separate studies, whereas construct validity was assessed in one of the samples (n = 272) due to data availability. Results: Confirmatory factor analyses supported a three-factor model of the MBI-SS, including exhaustion, cynicism, and academic efficacy. We also wanted to shorten the scale; therefore, we proposed a 12-item version (MBI-SS-12) that could be less time-consuming for the participants. Additional analyses conducted using scores from both versions of the scale showed significant positive correlations between exhaustion and cynicism, physical symptoms, fear and anxiety, depressive reactions, fatigue, and social impairment. Conversely, academic efficacy was significantly and negatively related to these indicators of impaired psychophysical health. Moreover, exhaustion and cynicism were negatively associated with satisfaction of the basic psychological need for competence, whereas academic efficacy was positively associated with it. Lastly, the results indicated that student burnout was negatively associated with student work engagement (vigor, dedication, and absorption). Conclusion: Both the MBI-SS and the MBI-SS-12 demonstrated solid factorial and construct validity and can be regarded as valid and reliable tools for assessing student burnout among Serbian university students.