Burnout hazard in teachers results of a clinical-psychological intervention study

200 teachers participated, 150 took part in a later performed katamnestic survey.The Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) was used and work-related data were recorded. The days of incapacity for work and the percentage of teachers endangered by burnout decreased, which supports the long-term success of the treatment.Significant differences between males and females and between teacher levels were found. However, the differences between teacher levels only showed up before treatment. Because males only underwent treatment at a more severe stage, further efforts in persuading males to start therapy earlier are needed.The proven and long-term success of the performed intervention could have greater effects if people, especially males, undergo treatment more frequently. Our results are based on selectively high proposition of teachers of advanced age. Thus it is possible that the long term effect of the intervention, particularly on retirement age, is greater when the intervention is started earlier. Regular burnout tests could help to identify risk cases among teachers at an early stage and to offer a therapeutic intervention.More than three decades ago, Freudenberger [1] described the exhaustion syndrome of socially engaged employees for the first time and termed it burnout. Since then, numerous publications on this topic from various occupational groups have become available [2-6]. However, few studies on the treatment of burnout in socially engaged employees exist. Various recommendations [7-10] and reports on short-term positive results of in-patient burnout therapies [11] are available, but long-term effects have scarcely been documented by extensive studies.The most frequent reasons for early retirement among teachers are psychical diseases, with account for 70% of early retirements. Therefore timely intervention is essential to reduce these disorders and consequent early retirement in this group. The objective of this study was to investigate whether an established p