Abstract:





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cademic engagement and burnout have only recently been recognized as critical factors affecting schools and students (Li, WII: Wen, & Wang. 2014). Limited studies exist on academic engagement burnout among elementary and high school students in Middle Eastern societies. Using descriptive and inferential statistical analysis of data collected from 400 Saudi Arabian high school students in grades 9 through 12, this study examines the following research questions: Research Question 1: What is the relationship between burnout, academic self-efficacy, and engagement?.Research Question 2: What are the differences in engagement, burnout, and self-efficacy based on grade level?.Research Question 3: Are academic engagement and self-efficacy significant predictors of burnout?.Research Question 4: Does self-efficacy mediate the relationship between engagement and burnout. Correlations were conducted across key study variables to examine any significant covariance among the predictor variables (engagement, burnout, and self-efficacy). Findings showed that engagement and burnout were negatively correlated at  r(401) = -.26, p=.000. Engagement and self-efficacy were positively correlated at r(400)= .35, p=.000. Self-efficacy and burnout were negatively correlated at  r(401) = -.33, p=.000. Furthermore, One-way ANOVA was conducted to compare differences between 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th graders on academic engagement.  There was a significant difference between grade level and levels of academic engagement F (3, 399)=, p=.000. Post hoc comparison using the Tukey HSD test indicated that 12th graders (M=5.15, SD=1.17) had significantly higher academic engagement than other graders.There was a significant difference between grade level and levels of self-efficacy F(3, 400)=4.138, p=.007. Post hoc comparison using Tukey HSD indicated that 9th graders (M=3.19, SD=4.2) had the highest self-efficacy scores. Further analysis showed that there was a significant difference between grade level and levels of burnout F(3,400)=2.640, p=.04 indicating that 9th graders (M=2.46, SD=.55) had significantly the highest burnout scores.Multiple regression analysis revealed that academic engagement (β= -.17, p < .01) and self-efficacy (β= -.27, p < .001) significantly predicted the outcome variable burnout. Table 4 shows the regression coefficients. Finally, partial mediation was found between engagement and burnout through self-efficacy. Sobel test results revealed that self-efficacy partially mediates (Z=-4.415, p < .001) the relationship between engagement and burnout. ​Investigating the relationship among stress, burnout, and turnover in Saudi Arabia is critical to efforts to improve educational outcomes among Saudi Arabian students and preventing burnout in schools.