Academic burnout and engagement among technical-professional students in the Colombian Caribbean during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Abstract

Introduction: During COVID-19, a high prevalence of psychological distress was reported among students, which suggests that they may be at greater risk than the general population of developing psychological disorders in confinement situations. Objective: To evaluate the presence and severity of affective symptoms and burnout and the degree of academic commitment in students at the professional technical level of the Colombian Caribbean during the COVID-19 pandemic and its related factors. Methods: A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted using an online questionnaire about demographic variables, anxiety, depression, fear of COVID-19, burnout, and academic commitment. Results: 251 students between 19 and 44 years old responded (M=20; IQR=4), 69% of them women. 41% presented depressive symptoms, and 27% showed anxious symptoms. Emotional exhaustion was related to depressive symptoms, cynicism to anxious symptoms, and academic efficacy to perceived health status, age, and severity of depressive symptoms. In turn, cynicism and efficacy were related to academic engagement. Fear of COVID was not related to any of the variables of interest. Conclusions: An interrelation was found between affective symptoms, perception of health status, age, burnout, and academic commitment. New studies are required to address this problem in the population of interest and clarify causal relationships.