The relationship between emotional burnout and students’ psychological resources in crisis conditions

Abstract

The contemporary educational environment, especially under conditions of systemic crisis and military conflict, imposes an unprecedented psychological burden on University students. This kind of chronic stress substantially increases the risk of developing burnout syndrome, characterized by emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and reduced personal accomplishment. The relevance of this study is determined by the need to identify internal protective mechanisms that modulate the impact of crisis-related stressors on students’ mental health and academic performance. The theoretical framework is based on the Job Demands– Resources (JD-R) Model and, more specifically, Hobfoll’s Conservation of Resources (COR) Theory. The latter postulates that stress arises not only from resource loss but also from the lack of resource gain following significant investment, which is typical for contexts of prolonged uncertainty. The study focuses on the differentiated influence of two key psychological resources, as resilience and tolerance for uncertainty like specific components of burnout. Empirical findings indicate that higher levels of psychological resources are inversely correlated with manifestations of burnout in general. Resilience demonstrates a multifaceted moderating function by significantly reducing both emotional exhaustion caused by chronic fatigue and digital hyperconnectivity, as well as the reduction of personal accomplishment, thereby supporting cognitive functioning and self-esteem. Tolerance for uncertainty, on the other hand, serves as a critical psychological buffer that prevents emotional exhaustion triggered by chronic anxiety resulting from uncontrollable external chaos and future unpredictability. The results provide a valuable foundation for developing targeted preventive psychological interventions aimed at enhancing students’ internal resilience and long-term adaptation in crisis conditions. Our future research should be focused on longitudinal structural modeling to clarify the dynamics of these interrelations.