A Study of Non-English-Majored Graduates’ Learning Burnout in a Local Comprehensive University in China

Abstract

Many non-English-majored graduates in colleges or universities complain about study stress. The purpose of the present study was to learn about non-English-majored graduates’ actual burnout situation and to seek intervention; a questionnaire survey and written interviews were conducted in a local comprehensive university in China. 109 non-English-majored graduates were participants in this study. The results in this study showed that: 1) the participants experienced a low to medium level of learning burnout; 2) significant differences were found in the aspects of gender, grades and one subscale of inefficacy in majors. No significant differences were found two subscales (exhaustion and cynicism) in the aspects of majors; 3) meanwhile, the results of the interviews indicate four causes of learning burnout. Internal and external supports are categorized as the burnout reducers. As for intervention, non-English-majored graduates, the organization (colleges or universities) and society should work together to buffer the burnout syndrome.