The Relationship between Punishment Sensitivity to Affection to School and School Burnout

Abstract

This study investigated whether sensitivity to punishment that students develop in the academic context is a predictor of school burnout syndrome, and whether students’ sensitivity to punishment show a significant difference based on their feelings toward school and sense of belonging. The present study employed a correlational research model. The participants of the study were 243 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th graders studying at three state middle schools in the city of Eskisehir. For analysis, Multiple Regression Analysis and One-Way ANOVA for Unrelated Samples were employed. In the regression analysis, the factors of punishment sensitivity together were moderately and significantly related to the students’ burnout scores, and these three variables together explained 40% of the variance in the students’ school burnout. ANOVA and Shefee test results showed that the punishment sensitivity of the students who had positive feelings towards school and those who felt they belong in the school were higher than the students who had negative feelings and did not feel they belong in the school. This study also shows parents, teachers and school administrators that they should not be deceived by the short-term and temporary benefits of punishment.