{"paper_id":"444dea6e-e14e-42ab-93e9-2fd410294511","body_text":"Professional Mission and Teacher Burnout in Rural China: Evidence from Primary School Educators | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article Professional Mission and Teacher Burnout in Rural China: Evidence from Primary School Educators Yang Wei, Zhaolong Chen, Tongyan Cao, Licheng Zhu This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7020081/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract The critical role of professional mission in fostering career development and job satisfaction, particularly within the resource-constrained context of rural education. Rural teachers face significant challenges, such as heavy workloads, limited resources, and inadequate social support, all of which contribute to job burnout. This research surveyed 238 rural primary school teachers using the Professional Mission Scale and the Job Burnout Scale for data collection and analysis. The findings indicate that rural teachers generally possess a moderate level of professional mission, while job burnout is a prevalent issue among them. Variance and correlation analysis reveal a negative relationship between professional mission and job burnout, suggesting that a stronger sense of professional mission correlates with lower levels of job burnout. The study provides empirical evidence and recommendations aimed at reducing job burnout and enhancing the quality of rural education through the reinforcement of rural teachers' professional mission. Social science/Education Biological sciences/Psychology Social science/Psychology Professional Mission Job Burnout Rural Education Teacher Well-being Career Development Work Satisfaction Educational Development Figures Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 1 Introduction Somewhere a teacher has a sense of professional mission which is an important characteristic of rural teachers impacting all areas of their personal and professional lives. This concept is closely aligned with greater career success, higher job satisfaction, and more general life satisfaction (Duffy & Sedlacek, 2007; Duffy, Bott, Allan, Torrey, & Dik, 2012). The spike of interest in the area indicates an increasing recognition of the importance of matching personal and professional values in a fulfilling and meaningful career. For rural teachers, a sense of professional mission represents their devotion and enthusiasm for the cause of education in addition to recognizing and pursuing the unique potential that exists with rural education. Maslach, Schaufeli, and Leiter (2001) argue that teachers who experience high levels of professional mission may be more likely to persevere in their roles in contrast to the significant hardships they may face. For teachers working within a rural context, this sense of professional mission can be important as it represents a motivator for teachers' contributions to the development of their communities and the overall welfare of their students. The concept of burnout was first described by the American clinical psychologist Herbert Freudenberger in 1974. He used the term consistent with a sense of physical and emotional exhaustion encountered by professionals in helping professions who have worked excessive hours, are overstretched by their workload or whose work is beyond their stage of development (Freudenberger, 1974). Since Freudenberger's publication burnout has been recognized as a workplace social problem affecting well-being, personal welfare, and performance across many occupations. Rural teachers may be particularly susceptible to job burnout because of increased workloads, limited resources, and weak social supports. Farber (1991) mentions that, as shown in many studies, stress and burnout are problems for many American teachers, even for those working in rural contexts. Leiter and Maslach (2001) argue that job burnout can have harmful impacts for teachers' mental and physical health, job performance, and wouldn't realize job satisfaction. As a result, the health issues associated with job burnout and rural teachers have become a topic of social concern. As positive psychological construct, a sense of professional mission has a demonstrable effect on an individual’s experience of job burnout. On one hand a strong sense of professional mission may buffer teachers from experiencing job burnout and provide teachers with purpose and meaning in their work. A professional mission signifies intrinsic motivation which can support teachers through the daily rigours of their role and sustain higher levels of job satisfaction and engagement (Wrzesniewski et al., 1997). When an individual views their work as a calling they will be more likely to experience high degrees of resilience, less burnout, and job satisfaction because the professional mission moderates job-related stress and fatigue (Gysbers, 2008). On the other hand, job burnout can slowly terminate teachers' sense of professional mission leading to lower job satisfaction and disengagement from their work. Research by Byrne (1994) and others has shown that teachers with a clear and persistent sense of professional mission are less vulnerable to job burnout and tend to be personally resilient and better able to cope with job stress. The current inquiry begins assessing the professional mission of rural teachers while exploring the relationship between their professional mission and job burnout. Through systematic research, we assessed the current levels of professional mission and job burnout of rural teachers to assess both level and factors that lead to both professional mission and burnout. With that theoretical premise we offer the following hypotheses: Hypothesis 1: The professional mission and job burnout of rural teachers are a moderate to high level. Hypothesis 2: The professional mission and job burnout of rural teachers are negatively correlated. 2 Literature Review Bellah (1985) redefined calling by moving away from the religious and popular discourse to the notion of work, viewing calling as one level of cognitive engagement with their work. Representative scholars such as Dik and Duffy (2009) define calling, as more than, encourages individuals to act toward others while experiencing self-transcendence and fulfillment through performing specific life roles and providing positive significance toward others or society. In the context of belief systems, modernism as opposed to neoclassicism concentrates on personal meaning which entails self-realization. Dobrow and Tosti-Kharas's (2011) research conceptualized calling as an individual's intense engagement focused on a work role and felt a sense of intensity through the whole process with value and even passion. The concept of professional mission is critical to teachers' identity, agency, and overall functioning as a teacher. Consideration of a professional mission goes beyond merely teaching content because it encompasses a greater responsibility to develop the student holistically and to also support an individual's well-being in society. Peterson (1999) recognizes that teamwork and cooperation among teachers is imperative to fulfilling a professional mission. Optimized communication and a sense of well-being among the educators of a professional team can enhance the quality of care and education the team can provide. Consequently, a teacher's sense of professional mission can be augmented through teamwork and a professionally positive atmosphere, which ultimately strengthens a sense of community and purpose. Lasky (2005) contemplates the complicated relationship of teacher identity, agency, and context, and how these three aspects collectively shape professional vulnerability. Teachers with a strong sense of a professional mission have better chances of learning to manage the challenges of the teaching profession, because strengthening a process of identity and agency will help teachers to fixate their attention on the function of educating students. Romero (2009) identifies the role of reflective practice as a way to re-energize knowledge and capacity, and is central to educators fully recognizing their transformational role in society and the promise of the duty of lifelong learning and responsible educational practice. For teachers fully committed to their professional mission, this professional learning can and should extend beyond their own students, and their impact on society. Hooge et al. (2011) examined the notion of educationalisation in the Netherlands by taking on the idea that educators assume more responsibility for addressing societal issues, while educating their students. With this increased responsibility teachers must understand their professional mission with societal responsibilities, increasing the emphasis on a professional identity and a broader societal responsibility. Soini et al. (2015) and Toom et al. (2017) examined professional agency and the contexts for professional agency among first year student teachers. The finding indicates the process of the formation of a professional mission begins in the first years of teacher education, and continues to develop by engaging in meaningful productive environments which promote autonomy, engagement in reflective thinking, and a sense of purpose. Heikonen et al. (2017) examined the intentions to leave teaching by early career teachers, their perceived skills and their perceptions of teacher-student interactions, and their professional agency. The findings indicate that a well-formed sense of professional mission can mitigate the experiences of challenges faced by early career teachers in order to become aware and mindful of their teacher-student interactions, while also reducing their intent to leave the profession. Both Burlakova et al. (2020) and Krugiełka et al. (2021) dissect the development of teacher professionalism and the agency of their practice as academic teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Among their several findings, the work required for academic teachers to have agency during crisis and emerge with their professional mission demonstrates resilience, which includes reframing their sense of professional identity to strengthen their commitment to ongoing professional development. Pavlenkova et al. (2023) explore the spaces that university teachers occupy to support the professional praxis and consciousness of learner educators. They identify the need to learn the mission of the educator, the obligation of accepting accountability for others development of knowledge and skills, and the ongoing process of professional, and personal development. This line of thinking captures the space today of the importance of a professional mission and identity of teachers. Zhang Chunyu (2013) found that calling predicted academic satisfaction, life satisfaction, and life meaning among teacher education students. The study also indicated that there were no significant differences in calling according to gender and grade level among the teacher education students. Many studies have found that calling for teachers can have an impact on their physical and mental well-being. In his doctoral dissertation, Zhang Chunyu discovered that there are no significant gender differences in the three dimensions of vocational calling: direction, meaning and value, and altruistic contribution. From a psychological perspective, he laid the groundwork for the study of vocational calling within the context of Chinese culture, suggesting that vocational calling not only resonates with the modern career landscape but also serves as a pathway to achieving meaning and happiness in a contemporary cultural context. Liao Chuanjing, He Chengcheng, Du Zhiqi, and Cai Xiaodan's (2019)research demonstrates that primary and secondary school teachers generally possess a high sense of vocational calling. Although there are no significant differences in teachers' recognition of education and outcomes based on gender and school type, significant differences exist in terms of professional development, including academic qualifications, background, teaching experience, and tenure. In particular, teachers with higher academic qualifications and longer tenure exhibit a significantly higher sense of vocational calling compared to their peers. A widely cited static definition by Maslach and Jackson (1986) describes burnout as a syndrome characterized by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment, particularly in professions involving human services. This conceptualization has been fundamental in the field of occupational health psychology. Further elaboration on the concept of job burnout can be found in the comprehensive review by Maslach, Schaufeli, and Leiter (2001), which explores the construct's definition, measurement, antecedents, consequences, and interventions. The research agenda related to teacher burnout takes a slightly different view, across both variables and perspectives. Vandenberghe et al. (1999) advocate that research and intervention agendas must consider and investigate burnout to better understand and prevent its prevalence among teachers. Smylie (1999) provides a contextualized understanding of teacher stress in educational reforms, highlighting just how hard it is for teachers to adjust to changes in educational reform. Schwarzer et al. (1999) offer a focused theoretical position paper on teacher burnout considering the social-cognitive approach, in their paper emphasizing cognitive processes. Kokkinos (2007) articulately described associations between burnout, personality attributes, and job stressors in primary school teachers, noting the relationships of the variables to emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and lack of personal accomplishment. Teven (2007) looks at teacher temperament, caring orientation, and dimensions of teacher burnout, based on Big Five personality measure, to identify the connections between these constructs. Skaalvik et al. (2009) examine the relationships between the school context as perceived by the teachers, teacher burnout, and job satisfaction, concluding that the school contextual environments play a significant role in teacher welfare. Skaalvik et al. (2010) also examined the connection between teacher self-efficacy, collective efficacy, burnout, job satisfaction and beliefs about external factors limiting teacher achievements, examining the complex relationships between these factors. Brown (2012) completes a systematic review of the relationship between self-efficacy and burnout in teachers, noting the importance of self-efficacy beliefs shaping teachers' perceptions of environmental opportunities and barriers. Ryan et al. (2017) focus on test-based accountability policies in relation to teacher stress, burnout, and intent to turnover, culminating in findings that stress and turnover intent may be elevated by the demands of test-based accountability policies. Richards et al. (2018) provide a qualitative exploration of teachers' lived experience social and contextual factors related to their experiences and reflections on stress and burnout, splicing their analysis of experiences from teachers at varying levels of burnout in school settings. These studies collectively contribute to a comprehensive understanding of teacher burnout, emphasizing the multifaceted nature of this issue and the importance of addressing it through various interventions and support systems.Zhu(2020)have found teachers exhibit differences across multiple dimensions that can influence job burnout. Burnout is affected by a myriad of factors, with specific variations. Personal factors are also linked to burnout. Research indicates complex interconnections among individual psychological elements, particularly emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and a sense of inefficacy, which are closely associated with various psychological variables. Negative psychological cognitions can adversely affect coping mechanisms at work and may trigger or exacerbate job burnout. Several studies have explored the relationship between teachers' professional mission and job burnout. Munson (2013) found that workload and social support significantly influence teachers' work engagement, which is closely related to burnout. Pedditzi et al. (2014) emphasized the prevalence of job burnout among teachers and the necessity of preventive measures, particularly to prevent depersonalization. Szabó et al. (2019) noted that burnout arises in work environments where demands exceed resources and social support is low. Fiorilli et al. (2020) examined the associations of burnout, work engagement, and training confidence among teachers in Italy. Ali et al. (2020) explored the relationship of self-efficacy and burnout concerning EFL teachers in Iran. Chen et al. (2020) examined the professional identity and job burnout during the pandemic. Dexter et al. (2021) examined reflective functioning as a predictor of self-efficacy and teacher burnout. Xing (2022) considered professional identity and also the importance of job burnout and work engagement. Zhang et al. (2023) conducted research on teachers' social-emotional competence on job burnout, teacher-student relationships and well-being as mediators. Overall, these studies develop a more robust understanding of the multifaceted relationship of teachers' professional mission and job burnout. The body of literature on rural teacher education in China elucidates a range of challenges and strategic responses aimed at improvement. Su (1996) examined John Dewey's educational philosophy in Chinese teacher education with regard to the Normal School as the sole national experimental context for teacher education transformation. Zhu (2013) argued for changes to the rural teacher training system in order to be more modern and better able to address issues. Hallinger et al. (2016) also looked at urban versus rural schools and the organizational difference of these school contexts, particularly in terms of learning-centered leadership in terms of teacher learning. Hu et al. (2016) identified issues related to early childhood education within rural China based on their qualitative study locations in Hebei Province. Similarly, Xie et al. (2016) payed attention to communication between adolescents. The authors investigated rural adolescents' mobile phone usage and to their life satisfaction to examine the role of school-related relationship on mediation. Liu et al. (2017) conducted a study about human resources on leadership and teacher learning in urban versus rural schools about effective school leadership. Li et al. (2020) discussed rural teacher development in extremely poverty-stricken areas and proposed the need for rich training and leadership of the training process. Jian (2020) described the \"Rural Teacher Support Plan\" which was an important reform plan to improve educational quality in rural China. Li et al. (2020) applied a pedagogical model to rural teacher professional development, created a new model for managing online teacher learning processes in rural areas, based on designing collaborative learning communities that are ardent entities where such organizations are focused on actions. Finally, Li et al. (2023) completed a bibliometric analysis of the rural teacher development policy landscape in China to call for empirical studies. The authors concluded by calling for deepening rural elementary education reform. Overall, these studies inform understandings of rural teacher education in China and provide evidence for policy and practice. As part of the rural revitalization strategy, rural education plays a fundamental and guiding role in the overall rural revitalization process, holding significant practical implications for rural development strategies. Teachers, as the cornerstone of rural education, are essential for ensuring equitable and high-quality educational development in these areas. However, high levels of burnout in rural teachers influences the quality of rural education. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine professional mission, as it relates to job burnout. The findings can provide valuable insights and recommendations for teachers who are currently rooted in rural areas and those university education majors who are about to enter the rural teaching workforce. By adjusting their internal mechanisms and perspectives, these teachers can mitigate the impact of job burnout on their physical and mental health, thereby contributing to the sustained quality and effectiveness of rural education. The body of literature on the relationship between teachers' professional mission and job burnout has experienced significant expansion. For the purposes of this article, the literature review is current as of June 2024. A search conducted within the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) using the terms \"Teachers' Professional Mission,\" \"Job Burnout,\" and \"Rural Teacher\" in titles, abstracts, or indexed terms yielded 363 records spanning from 2000 to 2024. Similarly, a search in the Web of Science for the same terms within titles, abstracts, or indexed terms produced records for the same period. These figures reflect the growing interest and extensive research conducted in this domain. Staying current with the rapidly evolving literature is crucial, as new discoveries continually emerge from various disciplines, potentially transforming our collective understanding and knowledge base. As part of the rural revitalization strategy, rural education plays a fundamental and guiding role in the overall rural revitalization process, holding significant practical implications for rural development strategies. Teachers, as the cornerstone of rural education, are essential for ensuring equitable and high-quality educational development in these areas. However, with the increasing levels of burnout among rural teachers, the quality of rural education is inevitably affected. Therefore, this paper aims to explore the relationship between professional mission and job burnout. The findings can provide valuable insights and recommendations for teachers who are currently rooted in rural areas and those university education majors who are about to enter the rural teaching workforce. By adjusting their internal mechanisms and perspectives, these teachers can mitigate the impact of job burnout on their physical and mental health, thereby contributing to the sustained quality and effectiveness of rural education. 3 Research Methods 3.1 Object This research was conducted among rural primary school teachers in Jiangsu Province, China. Participants were selected to reflect a representative demographic distribution in terms of gender, age, teaching experience, and educational background. These teachers were drawn from various regions to ensure a comprehensive overview of the rural educational landscape. Out of 250 distributed questionnaires, 238 were completed and returned correctly, yielding an effective response rate of 95.2%. Demographic details of the participants are provided in Fig. 1 . 3.2 Research Instruments 3.2.1 Professional Mission Scale The Professional Mission Scale, adapted from Dobrow's CS12 Scale, assesses three core dimensions of professional roles: altruistic contribution, directive guidance, and the significance and value derived from one's profession. Zhang (2015) extended the CS12 scale, initially created by Dobrow, to measure the professional mission in corporate employees and university students. This adaptation led to defining professional mission through three key dimensions: altruistic contribution, directive guidance, and inherent meaning and value. These dimensions reflect an individual’s commitment and contribution to society, the motivational power that one’s career provides, and the intrinsic value and purpose of a profession in achieving life significance. Building on these insights, a professional mission scale specific to the Chinese cultural context was developed and subjected to rigorous reliability and validity testing. The results demonstrated that the overall scale, as well as each individual dimension, had Cronbach's alpha coefficients exceeding 0.7, confirming its reliability for measurement purposes. This questionnaire, adapted from Zhang Chunyu's \"Work Responsibility Questionnaire,\" comprises 10 items evaluated on a Likert five-point scale. It effectively measures dimensions of guidance, altruism, and significance, with Cronbach's alpha coefficients of 0.888 for guidance, 0.807 for altruism, and 0.806 for significance, indicating a high level of reliability. 3.2.2 Occupational Burnout Scale Since the mid-1980s, quantitative research has progressively supplanted earlier qualitative analyses of job burnout, spearheading the development and evaluation of burnout scales within educational and healthcare sectors. During this period, numerous influential measurement tools emerged, including the scales developed by Pines, Aronson, and Kafry (1981), Demerouti, Bakker, and Vardakou (2003), and the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI). Among these, the most impactful and widely applied is the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and its subsequent iterations, developed by Maslach and Jackson (1986). The MBI initially comprised 47 items but was later refined through extensive testing and exploratory factor analysis to a more concise 22-item scale, encompassing three core dimensions: emotional exhaustion (9 items), depersonalization (5 items), and reduced personal accomplishment (8 items) (Maslach & Jackson, 1986). The emotional exhaustion dimension reflects the state of emotional fatigue experienced by individuals, depersonalization indicates the negative and detached attitude towards one’s work and colleagues, and reduced personal accomplishment denotes a decline in feelings of competence and achievement. The reliability of the MBI is substantiated by a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.893 for the total scale. The reliability coefficients for the subscales of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment are 0.875, 0.855, and 0.864, respectively, underscoring the robustness of the instrument in assessing job burnout across these dimensions (Maslach & Jackson, 1986). 3.3 Data Collection and Analysis Data were collected using SPSS 27.0 and analyzed through descriptive statistics and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) measures were above 0.9, indicating excellent sampling adequacy. Bartlett's test of sphericity confirmed factorability (p < 0.001). 4 Findings This study employed descriptive statistics, variance analysis, and correlation analysis to investigate the overall levels and interrelationships between professional sense of mission and burnout among rural primary school teachers. The overall status analysis provided a foundation for understanding the current levels of professional sense of mission and burnout among teachers. The variance analysis revealed the impact of demographic and organizational variables on these two constructs, while the correlation analysis examined the intrinsic relationship between professional sense of mission and burnout. 4.1General Status of Professional Sense of Mission and Burnout Among Rural Teachers As illustrated in Fig. 2 , the professional sense of mission among rural teachers is at a moderate level, with a mean score slightly above the midpoint of the scale (M = 3.04, SD = 0.91). Specifically, the scores for Sense of Direction (M = 3.07, SD = 1.01) and Altruistic Contribution (M = 3.05, SD = 0.99) are relatively high, while Proactive Engagement scores are lower (M = 2.97, SD = 0.94). In terms of burnout, rural teachers exhibit a moderate level, with a mean score of 2.83 (SD = 0.71). Among the burnout sub-dimensions, Personal Accomplishment scores are the highest (M = 2.94, SD = 0.79), whereas Emotional Exhaustion (M = 2.78, SD = 0.74) and Depersonalization (M = 2.71, SD = 0.86) scores are comparatively lower. 4.2 Variance Analysis of Demographic and Organizational Variables 4.2.1 Gender Differences Figure 3 indicates a significant gender difference in the Proactive Engagement dimension of professional sense of mission (t = 2.95, p = 0.01), with male teachers scoring higher than female teachers. No significant gender differences were observed in other dimensions or overall scores (p > 0.05). 4.2.2 Age Differences Table 1 Age Differences in Dimensions of Professional Sense of Mission and Burnout among Female Primary School Teachers Variable F-value Significance (p-value) Multiple Comparisons Sense of Direction 3.56 0.02* 20–30 years > 30–40 years Altruistic Contribution 7.56 < 0.001** 20–30 years > 30–40 years, 40–50 years Proactive Engagement 6.78 < 0.001** 20–30 years > 30–40 years, 40–50 years Emotional Exhaustion 0.91 0.44 — Depersonalization 2.01 0.11 — Personal Accomplishment 2.86 0.04* 20–30 years > 30–40 years, 40–50 years Professional Mission 6.28 < 0.001** 20–30 years > 30–40 years, 40–50 years Burnout 0.99 0.40 20–30 years > 30–40 years, 40–50 years Note: Asterisks (*) indicate significance at the 0.05 level; double asterisks (**) indicate significance at the 0.01 level Table 1 reveals significant age-related differences in several dimensions of the professional sense of mission. Specifically, teachers aged 20–30 years scored significantly higher on the Sense of Direction, Altruistic Contribution, Proactive Engagement, and Personal Accomplishment dimensions compared to older age groups (p < 0.05). There are no significant age-related differences observed in the burnout dimensions (p > 0.05). 4.2.3 Marital Status Differences Table 2 Differences in Professional Sense of Mission and Burnout Dimensions by Marital Status among Female Primary School Teachers Variable Single (N = 64) Married (N = 174) t-value p-value Mean (M) ± SD Mean (M) ± SD Sense of Direction 3.51 ± 1.07 2.91 ± 0.94 4.21 < 0.001** Altruistic Contribution 3.58 ± 1.14 2.85 ± 0.86 4.61 < 0.001** Proactive Engagement 3.36 ± 1.05 2.83 ± 0.85 3.66 < 0.001** Emotional Exhaustion 2.76 ± 0.84 2.79 ± 0.70 -0.33 0.74 Depersonalization 2.43 ± 0.94 2.81 ± 0.80 -3.04 0.003* Personal Accomplishment 2.89 ± 0.88 2.95 ± 0.76 -0.48 0.63 Professional Mission 3.48 ± 0.99 2.95 ± 0.87 4.11 < 0.001** Burnout 2.79 ± 0.77 2.84 ± 0.68 -0.54 0.59 Note: p < 0.05 is considered statistically significant. Double asterisks (**) indicate significance at the 0.01 level; a single asterisk () indicates significance at the 0.05 level.* Table 2 shows that single female teachers scored significantly higher than their married counterparts across all dimensions of professional sense of mission, including Sense of Direction, Altruistic Contribution, Proactive Engagement, and the overall Professional Mission score (p < 0.01). In contrast, married teachers reported significantly higher levels of Depersonalization (p = 0.003). No significant differences were found between the two groups in Emotional Exhaustion, Personal Accomplishment, or overall Burnout levels. 4.3 Correlation Analysis Between Professional Sense of Mission and Burnout Figure 4 demonstrates a significant negative correlation between professional sense of mission and burnout (r = -0.51, p < 0.01). This implies that higher levels of professional sense of mission are associated with lower levels of burnout among rural teachers. Each dimension of the professional sense of mission (Sense of Direction, Altruistic Contribution, and Proactive Engagement) shows significant correlations with all dimensions of burnout (Emotional Exhaustion, Depersonalization, and Personal Accomplishment). 5 Discussion Using SPSS 27.0 for data analysis, this study delves into the professional mission and burnout among rural teachers. The discussion is structured into three main parts: overall status, differential analysis, and correlation analysis. Although the initial differential analysis aimed to cover ten aspects, the analysis of school type was excluded due to the absence of private schools in rural areas. Additionally, due to the minimal variation in years of teaching experience, it was considered redundant, resulting in the exclusion of teaching experience as a variable. Therefore, the differential analysis focused on eight remaining demographic variables, employing Pearson correlation and multiple linear regression analyses. 5.1 Overall Status of Professional Mission and Burnout Among Rural Teachers The study included 238 rural teachers from northern Jiangsu. The gender distribution was approximately balanced, with a male-to-female ratio of 1:1. The survey indicated that the guidance dimension scored relatively high, while the proactive dimension scored slightly lower. This suggests that rural teachers possess a strong professional identity and perceive teaching as contributing significantly to society. However, their commitment to professional aspirations and engagement levels are moderate, reflecting a robust professional mission overall.Regarding burnout, rural teachers exhibited high emotional exhaustion, with low scores in depersonalization and personal accomplishment. Teachers generally felt that their roles required substantial effort and time, leading to tension and mental stress. Despite some mental fatigue, they remained committed to helping students and did not harbor negative attitudes toward them or feel blamed by colleagues or students. However, their sense of personal accomplishment was relatively low. Thus, Hypothesis 1 is supported, indicating that rural teachers have above-average levels of professional mission and burnout. 5.2 Differential Analysis of Professional Identity and Professional Mission Among Primary School Teachers 5.2.1Gender Differences There were no significant differences in the overall professional mission and burnout between male and female rural teachers. However, male teachers scored significantly higher in the proactive dimension, indicating a more determined attitude toward career aspirations and greater professional engagement compared to female teachers. No significant differences were found in other dimensions. 5.2.2 Age Differences Rural teachers aged 20–30 demonstrated significantly higher professional mission levels compared to those aged 30–40 and 40–50. No significant differences in burnout were observed across different age groups. Specifically, teachers aged 20–30 excelled in the guidance and proactive dimensions compared to their older counterparts. In terms of burnout, there were no significant differences in emotional exhaustion and depersonalization across age groups, but the 20–30 age group reported a significantly higher sense of personal accomplishment. Overall, younger teachers exhibited stronger professional missions and enthusiasm, likely due to lower pressure and greater excitement about their roles. 5.2 3Marital Status Differences Marital status significantly impacted the professional mission of rural teachers, but not their burnout levels. Unmarried teachers showed higher levels of professional mission compared to their married counterparts, possibly due to their youth and greater enthusiasm for work. Married teachers, who often juggle work and family responsibilities, displayed lower levels of professional mission but no significant differences in burnout levels were observed. 5.2.4 Educational Background Differences Educational background significantly influenced the professional mission of rural teachers but did not significantly impact burnout levels. Teachers with undergraduate degrees outperformed those with associate or master's degrees in all professional mission dimensions. Regarding burnout, significant differences were found only in the personal accomplishment dimension, with undergraduate degree holders performing better. This might be due to the higher motivation and engagement among teachers with higher educational qualifications. 5.2.5 Professional Title Differences Significant differences in professional mission were found among teachers with different professional titles, with those holding non-teaching positions showing lower levels compared to teachers with various teaching ranks. No significant differences in burnout levels were observed. Teachers with higher professional titles displayed a robust professional mission and lower burnout, likely due to their enthusiasm and commitment to their roles. 5.2.6 Employment Status Differences No significant differences were observed in the professional mission and burnout levels between teachers with and without formal employment status. Both groups showed low burnout levels and comparable professional mission scores, suggesting that motivation to secure formal employment leads to high engagement and responsibility among non-formally employed teachers. 5.2.7 Class Teacher Status Differences No significant differences in professional mission and burnout were found between teachers serving as class teachers and those who did not. Teachers not serving as class teachers reported higher average professional mission levels, and class teachers exhibited higher depersonalization scores, indicating that the additional responsibilities of class teachers might contribute to lower professional mission and higher burnout. 5.2.8 Administrative Position Status Differences No significant differences in professional mission and burnout were observed between teachers with and without administrative positions. Teachers without administrative positions exhibited higher professional mission levels. This could be attributed to their focused teaching roles, whereas administrative duties might dilute the sense of professional mission among those holding such positions. 5.3 Correlation Analysis Between Professional Identity and Professional Mission Among Primary School Teachers 5.3.1 Correlation Between Professional Mission and Burnout Correlation analysis revealed a significant negative relationship between professional mission and burnout among rural teachers, supporting Hypothesis 2. Emotional exhaustion was most strongly correlated with burnout, suggesting that higher emotional exhaustion leads to increased burnout. Interestingly, teachers with a higher sense of professional mission also exhibited higher burnout levels, possibly due to their increased dedication and involvement in work. 5.3.2 Regression Analysis Between Professional Identity and Professional Mission Linear regression analysis indicated a 47.5% fit between professional mission and burnout, suggesting a significant influence of professional mission on burnout levels. The correlation between professional mission and burnout underscores the higher work-related stress among teachers with a strong professional mission, leading to increased burnout. 6 Conclusion This study provides critical insights into the professional mission and job burnout among rural teachers, highlighting key strengths and areas for improvement. The principal findings, alongside limitations and future research directions, are summarized as follows:(1)Rural teachers exhibited an overall high level of professional mission, with a notable strength in the dimension of guidance. This suggests that they possess a strong sense of direction and purpose in their professional roles, contributing significantly to societal well-being. However, there were notable differences based on marital status, educational background, and whether they held the position of a class teacher. For instance, teachers who were unmarried or had higher educational qualifications tended to demonstrate a stronger professional mission. (2)The level of job burnout among rural teachers was found to be moderate to low. Emotional exhaustion was the primary factor contributing to burnout, indicating significant mental and physical fatigue resulting from their demanding roles. Despite this, teachers showed low levels of depersonalization and a reasonable sense of personal accomplishment, suggesting a commitment to their students and a positive outlook on their professional responsibilities. (3)A significant negative correlation was found between professional mission and job burnout, indicating that a stronger sense of professional mission is associated with lower levels of burnout. This finding emphasizes the necessity of developing a strong professional mission among teachers in order to reduce burnout, as well as improve well-being and job satisfaction. Thus, professional mission could be a valid predictor of job burnout. This study has limitations in terms of sample selection and methodological considerations. The sample is mainly from rural primary schools in Jiangsu Province from China, with a small sample size and scope, limiting the generalizability and representativeness of the study's findings. The study relied heavily on quantitative tools, using only quantitative data without descriptive views originally offered by qualitative research. This limits the extent to which teachers' subjective experiences and different contextual factors around their professional commitment and job burnout can be examined. Future research can be more diverse in geographic areas better inclusive of the contextual variables impacting professional commitment and job burnout, as well as utilize mixed methods. Longitudinal studies and policy research that exploring the relationship between teachers' professional commitment and job burnout is foundational to survey data and improve under examination and a path towards developing evidence-based support structures for educators. Declarations Ethical Approval This study received retrospective ethical approval from the Institutional Review Board (IRB) of Nanjing Xiaozhuang University (Approval No.: 2025003) on May 15, 2025, after the completion of data collection. The study was conducted in accordance with the ethical standards of the IRB and the principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki. Informed Consent All participants were fully informed about the nature and objectives of the research and provided their written informed consent prior to participation. The process of obtaining informed consent took place between June 2024 and September 2024, before data collection commenced. Declaration of Conflicting Interests The author(s) declare no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. Data Sharing Agreement The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request. 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The Relationship between Career Adaptability, Professional Sense of Mission, Work Engagement, and Job Burnout among Primary and Secondary School Teachers, [D], Nanjing Normal University. Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. 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4\",\"display\":\"\",\"copyAsset\":false,\"role\":\"figure\",\"size\":89736,\"visible\":true,\"origin\":\"\",\"legend\":\"\\u003cp\\u003eCorrelation Analysis Between Professional Sense of Mission and Burnout\\u003c/p\\u003e\",\"description\":\"\",\"filename\":\"4.jpg\",\"url\":\"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7020081/v1/b07072186e547074c42ad2f9.jpg\"},{\"id\":93516453,\"identity\":\"e2aea1cd-0922-4a1c-b076-01762989c765\",\"added_by\":\"auto\",\"created_at\":\"2025-10-14 16:38:36\",\"extension\":\"pdf\",\"order_by\":0,\"title\":\"\",\"display\":\"\",\"copyAsset\":false,\"role\":\"manuscript-pdf\",\"size\":1335970,\"visible\":true,\"origin\":\"\",\"legend\":\"\",\"description\":\"\",\"filename\":\"manuscript.pdf\",\"url\":\"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7020081/v1/539f7f5c-d149-4352-b25f-acb4e3a2a1ff.pdf\"}],\"financialInterests\":\"No competing interests reported.\",\"formattedTitle\":\"Professional Mission and Teacher Burnout in Rural China: Evidence from Primary School Educators\",\"fulltext\":[{\"header\":\"1 Introduction\",\"content\":\"\\u003cp\\u003eSomewhere a teacher has a sense of professional mission which is an important characteristic of rural teachers impacting all areas of their personal and professional lives. This concept is closely aligned with greater career success, higher job satisfaction, and more general life satisfaction (Duffy \\u0026amp; Sedlacek, 2007; Duffy, Bott, Allan, Torrey, \\u0026amp; Dik, 2012). The spike of interest in the area indicates an increasing recognition of the importance of matching personal and professional values in a fulfilling and meaningful career. For rural teachers, a sense of professional mission represents their devotion and enthusiasm for the cause of education in addition to recognizing and pursuing the unique potential that exists with rural education. Maslach, Schaufeli, and Leiter (2001) argue that teachers who experience high levels of professional mission may be more likely to persevere in their roles in contrast to the significant hardships they may face. For teachers working within a rural context, this sense of professional mission can be important as it represents a motivator for teachers' contributions to the development of their communities and the overall welfare of their students.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eThe concept of burnout was first described by the American clinical psychologist Herbert Freudenberger in 1974. He used the term consistent with a sense of physical and emotional exhaustion encountered by professionals in helping professions who have worked excessive hours, are overstretched by their workload or whose work is beyond their stage of development (Freudenberger, 1974). Since Freudenberger's publication burnout has been recognized as a workplace social problem affecting well-being, personal welfare, and performance across many occupations. Rural teachers may be particularly susceptible to job burnout because of increased workloads, limited resources, and weak social supports. Farber (1991) mentions that, as shown in many studies, stress and burnout are problems for many American teachers, even for those working in rural contexts. Leiter and Maslach (2001) argue that job burnout can have harmful impacts for teachers' mental and physical health, job performance, and wouldn't realize job satisfaction. As a result, the health issues associated with job burnout and rural teachers have become a topic of social concern.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eAs positive psychological construct, a sense of professional mission has a demonstrable effect on an individual\\u0026rsquo;s experience of job burnout. On one hand a strong sense of professional mission may buffer teachers from experiencing job burnout and provide teachers with purpose and meaning in their work. A professional mission signifies intrinsic motivation which can support teachers through the daily rigours of their role and sustain higher levels of job satisfaction and engagement (Wrzesniewski et al., 1997). When an individual views their work as a calling they will be more likely to experience high degrees of resilience, less burnout, and job satisfaction because the professional mission moderates job-related stress and fatigue (Gysbers, 2008). On the other hand, job burnout can slowly terminate teachers' sense of professional mission leading to lower job satisfaction and disengagement from their work. Research by Byrne (1994) and others has shown that teachers with a clear and persistent sense of professional mission are less vulnerable to job burnout and tend to be personally resilient and better able to cope with job stress.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eThe current inquiry begins assessing the professional mission of rural teachers while exploring the relationship between their professional mission and job burnout. Through systematic research, we assessed the current levels of professional mission and job burnout of rural teachers to assess both level and factors that lead to both professional mission and burnout. With that theoretical premise we offer the following hypotheses: Hypothesis 1: The professional mission and job burnout of rural teachers are a moderate to high level. Hypothesis 2: The professional mission and job burnout of rural teachers are negatively correlated.\\u003c/p\\u003e\"},{\"header\":\"2 Literature Review\",\"content\":\"\\u003cp\\u003eBellah (1985) redefined calling by moving away from the religious and popular discourse to the notion of work, viewing calling as one level of cognitive engagement with their work. Representative scholars such as Dik and Duffy (2009) define calling, as more than, encourages individuals to act toward others while experiencing self-transcendence and fulfillment through performing specific life roles and providing positive significance toward others or society. In the context of belief systems, modernism as opposed to neoclassicism concentrates on personal meaning which entails self-realization. Dobrow and Tosti-Kharas's (2011) research conceptualized calling as an individual's intense engagement focused on a work role and felt a sense of intensity through the whole process with value and even passion.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eThe concept of professional mission is critical to teachers' identity, agency, and overall functioning as a teacher. Consideration of a professional mission goes beyond merely teaching content because it encompasses a greater responsibility to develop the student holistically and to also support an individual's well-being in society. Peterson (1999) recognizes that teamwork and cooperation among teachers is imperative to fulfilling a professional mission. Optimized communication and a sense of well-being among the educators of a professional team can enhance the quality of care and education the team can provide. Consequently, a teacher's sense of professional mission can be augmented through teamwork and a professionally positive atmosphere, which ultimately strengthens a sense of community and purpose. Lasky (2005) contemplates the complicated relationship of teacher identity, agency, and context, and how these three aspects collectively shape professional vulnerability. Teachers with a strong sense of a professional mission have better chances of learning to manage the challenges of the teaching profession, because strengthening a process of identity and agency will help teachers to fixate their attention on the function of educating students. Romero (2009) identifies the role of reflective practice as a way to re-energize knowledge and capacity, and is central to educators fully recognizing their transformational role in society and the promise of the duty of lifelong learning and responsible educational practice. For teachers fully committed to their professional mission, this professional learning can and should extend beyond their own students, and their impact on society. Hooge et al. (2011) examined the notion of educationalisation in the Netherlands by taking on the idea that educators assume more responsibility for addressing societal issues, while educating their students. With this increased responsibility teachers must understand their professional mission with societal responsibilities, increasing the emphasis on a professional identity and a broader societal responsibility.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eSoini et al. (2015) and Toom et al. (2017) examined professional agency and the contexts for professional agency among first year student teachers. The finding indicates the process of the formation of a professional mission begins in the first years of teacher education, and continues to develop by engaging in meaningful productive environments which promote autonomy, engagement in reflective thinking, and a sense of purpose. Heikonen et al. (2017) examined the intentions to leave teaching by early career teachers, their perceived skills and their perceptions of teacher-student interactions, and their professional agency. The findings indicate that a well-formed sense of professional mission can mitigate the experiences of challenges faced by early career teachers in order to become aware and mindful of their teacher-student interactions, while also reducing their intent to leave the profession. Both Burlakova et al. (2020) and Krugiełka et al. (2021) dissect the development of teacher professionalism and the agency of their practice as academic teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Among their several findings, the work required for academic teachers to have agency during crisis and emerge with their professional mission demonstrates resilience, which includes reframing their sense of professional identity to strengthen their commitment to ongoing professional development. Pavlenkova et al. (2023) explore the spaces that university teachers occupy to support the professional praxis and consciousness of learner educators. They identify the need to learn the mission of the educator, the obligation of accepting accountability for others development of knowledge and skills, and the ongoing process of professional, and personal development. This line of thinking captures the space today of the importance of a professional mission and identity of teachers.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eZhang Chunyu (2013) found that calling predicted academic satisfaction, life satisfaction, and life meaning among teacher education students. The study also indicated that there were no significant differences in calling according to gender and grade level among the teacher education students. Many studies have found that calling for teachers can have an impact on their physical and mental well-being. In his doctoral dissertation, Zhang Chunyu discovered that there are no significant gender differences in the three dimensions of vocational calling: direction, meaning and value, and altruistic contribution. From a psychological perspective, he laid the groundwork for the study of vocational calling within the context of Chinese culture, suggesting that vocational calling not only resonates with the modern career landscape but also serves as a pathway to achieving meaning and happiness in a contemporary cultural context. Liao Chuanjing, He Chengcheng, Du Zhiqi, and Cai Xiaodan's (2019)research demonstrates that primary and secondary school teachers generally possess a high sense of vocational calling. Although there are no significant differences in teachers' recognition of education and outcomes based on gender and school type, significant differences exist in terms of professional development, including academic qualifications, background, teaching experience, and tenure. In particular, teachers with higher academic qualifications and longer tenure exhibit a significantly higher sense of vocational calling compared to their peers.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eA widely cited static definition by Maslach and Jackson (1986) describes burnout as a syndrome characterized by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment, particularly in professions involving human services. This conceptualization has been fundamental in the field of occupational health psychology. Further elaboration on the concept of job burnout can be found in the comprehensive review by Maslach, Schaufeli, and Leiter (2001), which explores the construct's definition, measurement, antecedents, consequences, and interventions. The research agenda related to teacher burnout takes a slightly different view, across both variables and perspectives. Vandenberghe et al. (1999) advocate that research and intervention agendas must consider and investigate burnout to better understand and prevent its prevalence among teachers. Smylie (1999) provides a contextualized understanding of teacher stress in educational reforms, highlighting just how hard it is for teachers to adjust to changes in educational reform. Schwarzer et al. (1999) offer a focused theoretical position paper on teacher burnout considering the social-cognitive approach, in their paper emphasizing cognitive processes. Kokkinos (2007) articulately described associations between burnout, personality attributes, and job stressors in primary school teachers, noting the relationships of the variables to emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and lack of personal accomplishment. Teven (2007) looks at teacher temperament, caring orientation, and dimensions of teacher burnout, based on Big Five personality measure, to identify the connections between these constructs. Skaalvik et al. (2009) examine the relationships between the school context as perceived by the teachers, teacher burnout, and job satisfaction, concluding that the school contextual environments play a significant role in teacher welfare. Skaalvik et al. (2010) also examined the connection between teacher self-efficacy, collective efficacy, burnout, job satisfaction and beliefs about external factors limiting teacher achievements, examining the complex relationships between these factors. Brown (2012) completes a systematic review of the relationship between self-efficacy and burnout in teachers, noting the importance of self-efficacy beliefs shaping teachers' perceptions of environmental opportunities and barriers. Ryan et al. (2017) focus on test-based accountability policies in relation to teacher stress, burnout, and intent to turnover, culminating in findings that stress and turnover intent may be elevated by the demands of test-based accountability policies. Richards et al. (2018) provide a qualitative exploration of teachers' lived experience social and contextual factors related to their experiences and reflections on stress and burnout, splicing their analysis of experiences from teachers at varying levels of burnout in school settings. These studies collectively contribute to a comprehensive understanding of teacher burnout, emphasizing the multifaceted nature of this issue and the importance of addressing it through various interventions and support systems.Zhu(2020)have found teachers exhibit differences across multiple dimensions that can influence job burnout. Burnout is affected by a myriad of factors, with specific variations. Personal factors are also linked to burnout. Research indicates complex interconnections among individual psychological elements, particularly emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and a sense of inefficacy, which are closely associated with various psychological variables. Negative psychological cognitions can adversely affect coping mechanisms at work and may trigger or exacerbate job burnout.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eSeveral studies have explored the relationship between teachers' professional mission and job burnout. Munson (2013) found that workload and social support significantly influence teachers' work engagement, which is closely related to burnout. Pedditzi et al. (2014) emphasized the prevalence of job burnout among teachers and the necessity of preventive measures, particularly to prevent depersonalization. Szab\\u0026oacute; et al. (2019) noted that burnout arises in work environments where demands exceed resources and social support is low. Fiorilli et al. (2020) examined the associations of burnout, work engagement, and training confidence among teachers in Italy. Ali et al. (2020) explored the relationship of self-efficacy and burnout concerning EFL teachers in Iran. Chen et al. (2020) examined the professional identity and job burnout during the pandemic. Dexter et al. (2021) examined reflective functioning as a predictor of self-efficacy and teacher burnout. Xing (2022) considered professional identity and also the importance of job burnout and work engagement. Zhang et al. (2023) conducted research on teachers' social-emotional competence on job burnout, teacher-student relationships and well-being as mediators. Overall, these studies develop a more robust understanding of the multifaceted relationship of teachers' professional mission and job burnout.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eThe body of literature on rural teacher education in China elucidates a range of challenges and strategic responses aimed at improvement. Su (1996) examined John Dewey's educational philosophy in Chinese teacher education with regard to the Normal School as the sole national experimental context for teacher education transformation. Zhu (2013) argued for changes to the rural teacher training system in order to be more modern and better able to address issues. Hallinger et al. (2016) also looked at urban versus rural schools and the organizational difference of these school contexts, particularly in terms of learning-centered leadership in terms of teacher learning. Hu et al. (2016) identified issues related to early childhood education within rural China based on their qualitative study locations in Hebei Province. Similarly, Xie et al. (2016) payed attention to communication between adolescents. The authors investigated rural adolescents' mobile phone usage and to their life satisfaction to examine the role of school-related relationship on mediation. Liu et al. (2017) conducted a study about human resources on leadership and teacher learning in urban versus rural schools about effective school leadership. Li et al. (2020) discussed rural teacher development in extremely poverty-stricken areas and proposed the need for rich training and leadership of the training process. Jian (2020) described the \\\"Rural Teacher Support Plan\\\" which was an important reform plan to improve educational quality in rural China. Li et al. (2020) applied a pedagogical model to rural teacher professional development, created a new model for managing online teacher learning processes in rural areas, based on designing collaborative learning communities that are ardent entities where such organizations are focused on actions. Finally, Li et al. (2023) completed a bibliometric analysis of the rural teacher development policy landscape in China to call for empirical studies. The authors concluded by calling for deepening rural elementary education reform. Overall, these studies inform understandings of rural teacher education in China and provide evidence for policy and practice.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eAs part of the rural revitalization strategy, rural education plays a fundamental and guiding role in the overall rural revitalization process, holding significant practical implications for rural development strategies. Teachers, as the cornerstone of rural education, are essential for ensuring equitable and high-quality educational development in these areas. However, high levels of burnout in rural teachers influences the quality of rural education. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine professional mission, as it relates to job burnout. The findings can provide valuable insights and recommendations for teachers who are currently rooted in rural areas and those university education majors who are about to enter the rural teaching workforce. By adjusting their internal mechanisms and perspectives, these teachers can mitigate the impact of job burnout on their physical and mental health, thereby contributing to the sustained quality and effectiveness of rural education.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eThe body of literature on the relationship between teachers' professional mission and job burnout has experienced significant expansion. For the purposes of this article, the literature review is current as of June 2024. A search conducted within the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) using the terms \\\"Teachers' Professional Mission,\\\" \\\"Job Burnout,\\\" and \\\"Rural Teacher\\\" in titles, abstracts, or indexed terms yielded 363 records spanning from 2000 to 2024. Similarly, a search in the Web of Science for the same terms within titles, abstracts, or indexed terms produced records for the same period. These figures reflect the growing interest and extensive research conducted in this domain. Staying current with the rapidly evolving literature is crucial, as new discoveries continually emerge from various disciplines, potentially transforming our collective understanding and knowledge base. As part of the rural revitalization strategy, rural education plays a fundamental and guiding role in the overall rural revitalization process, holding significant practical implications for rural development strategies. Teachers, as the cornerstone of rural education, are essential for ensuring equitable and high-quality educational development in these areas. However, with the increasing levels of burnout among rural teachers, the quality of rural education is inevitably affected. Therefore, this paper aims to explore the relationship between professional mission and job burnout. The findings can provide valuable insights and recommendations for teachers who are currently rooted in rural areas and those university education majors who are about to enter the rural teaching workforce. By adjusting their internal mechanisms and perspectives, these teachers can mitigate the impact of job burnout on their physical and mental health, thereby contributing to the sustained quality and effectiveness of rural education.\\u003c/p\\u003e\"},{\"header\":\"3 Research Methods\",\"content\":\"\\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec4\\\" class=\\\"Section2\\\"\\u003e\\u003ch2\\u003e3.1 Object\\u003c/h2\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eThis research was conducted among rural primary school teachers in Jiangsu Province, China. Participants were selected to reflect a representative demographic distribution in terms of gender, age, teaching experience, and educational background. These teachers were drawn from various regions to ensure a comprehensive overview of the rural educational landscape. Out of 250 distributed questionnaires, 238 were completed and returned correctly, yielding an effective response rate of 95.2%. Demographic details of the participants are provided in Fig.\\u0026nbsp;\\u003cspan refid=\\\"Fig1\\\" class=\\\"InternalRef\\\"\\u003e1\\u003c/span\\u003e.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e\\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec5\\\" class=\\\"Section2\\\"\\u003e\\u003ch2\\u003e3.2 Research Instruments\\u003c/h2\\u003e\\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec6\\\" class=\\\"Section3\\\"\\u003e\\u003ch2\\u003e3.2.1 Professional Mission Scale\\u003c/h2\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eThe Professional Mission Scale, adapted from Dobrow's CS12 Scale, assesses three core dimensions of professional roles: altruistic contribution, directive guidance, and the significance and value derived from one's profession. Zhang (2015) extended the CS12 scale, initially created by Dobrow, to measure the professional mission in corporate employees and university students. This adaptation led to defining professional mission through three key dimensions: altruistic contribution, directive guidance, and inherent meaning and value. These dimensions reflect an individual\\u0026rsquo;s commitment and contribution to society, the motivational power that one\\u0026rsquo;s career provides, and the intrinsic value and purpose of a profession in achieving life significance. Building on these insights, a professional mission scale specific to the Chinese cultural context was developed and subjected to rigorous reliability and validity testing. The results demonstrated that the overall scale, as well as each individual dimension, had Cronbach's alpha coefficients exceeding 0.7, confirming its reliability for measurement purposes. This questionnaire, adapted from Zhang Chunyu's \\\"Work Responsibility Questionnaire,\\\" comprises 10 items evaluated on a Likert five-point scale. It effectively measures dimensions of guidance, altruism, and significance, with Cronbach's alpha coefficients of 0.888 for guidance, 0.807 for altruism, and 0.806 for significance, indicating a high level of reliability.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e\\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec7\\\" class=\\\"Section3\\\"\\u003e\\u003ch2\\u003e3.2.2 Occupational Burnout Scale\\u003c/h2\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eSince the mid-1980s, quantitative research has progressively supplanted earlier qualitative analyses of job burnout, spearheading the development and evaluation of burnout scales within educational and healthcare sectors. During this period, numerous influential measurement tools emerged, including the scales developed by Pines, Aronson, and Kafry (1981), Demerouti, Bakker, and Vardakou (2003), and the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI). Among these, the most impactful and widely applied is the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and its subsequent iterations, developed by Maslach and Jackson (1986). The MBI initially comprised 47 items but was later refined through extensive testing and exploratory factor analysis to a more concise 22-item scale, encompassing three core dimensions: emotional exhaustion (9 items), depersonalization (5 items), and reduced personal accomplishment (8 items) (Maslach \\u0026amp; Jackson, 1986). The emotional exhaustion dimension reflects the state of emotional fatigue experienced by individuals, depersonalization indicates the negative and detached attitude towards one\\u0026rsquo;s work and colleagues, and reduced personal accomplishment denotes a decline in feelings of competence and achievement. The reliability of the MBI is substantiated by a Cronbach\\u0026rsquo;s alpha coefficient of 0.893 for the total scale. The reliability coefficients for the subscales of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment are 0.875, 0.855, and 0.864, respectively, underscoring the robustness of the instrument in assessing job burnout across these dimensions (Maslach \\u0026amp; Jackson, 1986).\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e\\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec8\\\" class=\\\"Section2\\\"\\u003e\\u003ch2\\u003e3.3 Data Collection and Analysis\\u003c/h2\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eData were collected using SPSS 27.0 and analyzed through descriptive statistics and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) measures were above 0.9, indicating excellent sampling adequacy. Bartlett's test of sphericity confirmed factorability (p\\u0026thinsp;\\u0026lt;\\u0026thinsp;0.001).\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e\"},{\"header\":\"4 Findings\",\"content\":\"\\u003cp\\u003eThis study employed descriptive statistics, variance analysis, and correlation analysis to investigate the overall levels and interrelationships between professional sense of mission and burnout among rural primary school teachers. The overall status analysis provided a foundation for understanding the current levels of professional sense of mission and burnout among teachers. The variance analysis revealed the impact of demographic and organizational variables on these two constructs, while the correlation analysis examined the intrinsic relationship between professional sense of mission and burnout.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec10\\\" class=\\\"Section2\\\"\\u003e\\u003ch2\\u003e4.1General Status of Professional Sense of Mission and Burnout Among Rural Teachers\\u003c/h2\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eAs illustrated in Fig.\\u0026nbsp;\\u003cspan refid=\\\"Fig2\\\" class=\\\"InternalRef\\\"\\u003e2\\u003c/span\\u003e, the professional sense of mission among rural teachers is at a moderate level, with a mean score slightly above the midpoint of the scale (M\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;3.04, SD\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;0.91). Specifically, the scores for Sense of Direction (M\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;3.07, SD\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;1.01) and Altruistic Contribution (M\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;3.05, SD\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;0.99) are relatively high, while Proactive Engagement scores are lower (M\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;2.97, SD\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;0.94). In terms of burnout, rural teachers exhibit a moderate level, with a mean score of 2.83 (SD\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;0.71). Among the burnout sub-dimensions, Personal Accomplishment scores are the highest (M\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;2.94, SD\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;0.79), whereas Emotional Exhaustion (M\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;2.78, SD\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;0.74) and Depersonalization (M\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;2.71, SD\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;0.86) scores are comparatively lower.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e\\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec11\\\" class=\\\"Section2\\\"\\u003e\\u003ch2\\u003e4.2 Variance Analysis of Demographic and Organizational Variables\\u003c/h2\\u003e\\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec12\\\" class=\\\"Section3\\\"\\u003e\\u003ch2\\u003e4.2.1 Gender Differences\\u003c/h2\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eFigure 3 indicates a significant gender difference in the Proactive Engagement dimension of professional sense of mission (t\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;2.95, p\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;0.01), with male teachers scoring higher than female teachers. No significant gender differences were observed in other dimensions or overall scores (p\\u0026thinsp;\\u0026gt;\\u0026thinsp;0.05).\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e\\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec13\\\" class=\\\"Section3\\\"\\u003e\\u003ch2\\u003e4.2.2 Age Differences\\u003c/h2\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cdiv class=\\\"gridtable\\\"\\u003e\\u003ctable float=\\\"Yes\\\" id=\\\"Tab1\\\" border=\\\"1\\\"\\u003e\\u003ccaption language=\\\"En\\\"\\u003e\\u003cdiv class=\\\"CaptionNumber\\\"\\u003eTable 1\\u003c/div\\u003e\\u003cdiv class=\\\"CaptionContent\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eAge Differences in Dimensions of Professional Sense of Mission and Burnout among Female Primary School Teachers\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e\\u003c/caption\\u003e\\u003ccolgroup cols=\\\"4\\\"\\u003e\\u003cdiv align=\\\"left\\\" class=\\\"colspec\\\" colname=\\\"c1\\\" colnum=\\\"1\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e\\u003cdiv align=\\\"char\\\" char=\\\".\\\" class=\\\"colspec\\\" colname=\\\"c2\\\" colnum=\\\"2\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e\\u003cdiv align=\\\"char\\\" char=\\\".\\\" class=\\\"colspec\\\" colname=\\\"c3\\\" colnum=\\\"3\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e\\u003cdiv align=\\\"left\\\" class=\\\"colspec\\\" colname=\\\"c4\\\" colnum=\\\"4\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e\\u003cthead\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003cth align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c1\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eVariable\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/th\\u003e\\u003cth align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c2\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eF-value\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/th\\u003e\\u003cth align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c3\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eSignificance (p-value)\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/th\\u003e\\u003cth align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c4\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eMultiple Comparisons\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/th\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003c/thead\\u003e\\u003ctbody\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c1\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eSense of Direction\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\" char=\\\".\\\" colname=\\\"c2\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003e3.56\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\" char=\\\".\\\" colname=\\\"c3\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003e0.02*\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c4\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003e20\\u0026ndash;30 years\\u0026thinsp;\\u0026gt;\\u0026thinsp;30\\u0026ndash;40 years\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c1\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eAltruistic Contribution\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\" char=\\\".\\\" colname=\\\"c2\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003e7.56\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\" char=\\\".\\\" colname=\\\"c3\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003e\\u0026lt;\\u0026thinsp;0.001**\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c4\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003e20\\u0026ndash;30 years\\u0026thinsp;\\u0026gt;\\u0026thinsp;30\\u0026ndash;40 years, 40\\u0026ndash;50 years\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c1\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eProactive Engagement\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\" char=\\\".\\\" colname=\\\"c2\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003e6.78\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\" char=\\\".\\\" colname=\\\"c3\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003e\\u0026lt;\\u0026thinsp;0.001**\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c4\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003e20\\u0026ndash;30 years\\u0026thinsp;\\u0026gt;\\u0026thinsp;30\\u0026ndash;40 years, 40\\u0026ndash;50 years\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c1\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eEmotional Exhaustion\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\" char=\\\".\\\" colname=\\\"c2\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003e0.91\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\" char=\\\".\\\" colname=\\\"c3\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003e0.44\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c4\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003e\\u0026mdash;\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c1\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eDepersonalization\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\" char=\\\".\\\" colname=\\\"c2\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003e2.01\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\" char=\\\".\\\" colname=\\\"c3\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003e0.11\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c4\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003e\\u0026mdash;\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c1\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003ePersonal Accomplishment\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\" char=\\\".\\\" colname=\\\"c2\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003e2.86\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\" char=\\\".\\\" colname=\\\"c3\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003e0.04*\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c4\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003e20\\u0026ndash;30 years\\u0026thinsp;\\u0026gt;\\u0026thinsp;30\\u0026ndash;40 years, 40\\u0026ndash;50 years\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c1\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eProfessional Mission\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\" char=\\\".\\\" colname=\\\"c2\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003e6.28\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\" char=\\\".\\\" colname=\\\"c3\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003e\\u0026lt;\\u0026thinsp;0.001**\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c4\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003e20\\u0026ndash;30 years\\u0026thinsp;\\u0026gt;\\u0026thinsp;30\\u0026ndash;40 years, 40\\u0026ndash;50 years\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c1\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eBurnout\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\" char=\\\".\\\" colname=\\\"c2\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003e0.99\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\" char=\\\".\\\" colname=\\\"c3\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003e0.40\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c4\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003e20\\u0026ndash;30 years\\u0026thinsp;\\u0026gt;\\u0026thinsp;30\\u0026ndash;40 years, 40\\u0026ndash;50 years\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003c/tbody\\u003e\\u003c/colgroup\\u003e\\u003ctfoot\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd colspan=\\\"4\\\"\\u003eNote: Asterisks (*) indicate significance at the 0.05 level; double asterisks (**) indicate significance at the 0.01 level\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003c/tfoot\\u003e\\u003c/table\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eTable\\u0026nbsp;\\u003cspan refid=\\\"Tab1\\\" class=\\\"InternalRef\\\"\\u003e1\\u003c/span\\u003e reveals significant age-related differences in several dimensions of the professional sense of mission. Specifically, teachers aged 20\\u0026ndash;30 years scored significantly higher on the Sense of Direction, Altruistic Contribution, Proactive Engagement, and Personal Accomplishment dimensions compared to older age groups (p\\u0026thinsp;\\u0026lt;\\u0026thinsp;0.05). There are no significant age-related differences observed in the burnout dimensions (p\\u0026thinsp;\\u0026gt;\\u0026thinsp;0.05).\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e\\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec14\\\" class=\\\"Section3\\\"\\u003e\\u003ch2\\u003e4.2.3 Marital Status Differences\\u003c/h2\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cdiv class=\\\"gridtable\\\"\\u003e\\u003ctable float=\\\"Yes\\\" id=\\\"Tab2\\\" border=\\\"1\\\"\\u003e\\u003ccaption language=\\\"En\\\"\\u003e\\u003cdiv class=\\\"CaptionNumber\\\"\\u003eTable 2\\u003c/div\\u003e\\u003cdiv class=\\\"CaptionContent\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eDifferences in Professional Sense of Mission and Burnout Dimensions by Marital Status among Female Primary School Teachers\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e\\u003c/caption\\u003e\\u003ccolgroup cols=\\\"5\\\"\\u003e\\u003cdiv align=\\\"left\\\" class=\\\"colspec\\\" colname=\\\"c1\\\" colnum=\\\"1\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e\\u003cdiv align=\\\"left\\\" class=\\\"colspec\\\" colname=\\\"c2\\\" colnum=\\\"2\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e\\u003cdiv align=\\\"left\\\" class=\\\"colspec\\\" colname=\\\"c3\\\" colnum=\\\"3\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e\\u003cdiv align=\\\"char\\\" char=\\\".\\\" class=\\\"colspec\\\" colname=\\\"c4\\\" colnum=\\\"4\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e\\u003cdiv align=\\\"char\\\" char=\\\".\\\" class=\\\"colspec\\\" colname=\\\"c5\\\" colnum=\\\"5\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e\\u003cthead\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003cth align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c1\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eVariable\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/th\\u003e\\u003cth align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c2\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eSingle (N\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;64)\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/th\\u003e\\u003cth align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c3\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eMarried (N\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;174)\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/th\\u003e\\u003cth align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c4\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003et-value\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/th\\u003e\\u003cth align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c5\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003ep-value\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/th\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003c/thead\\u003e\\u003ctbody\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c1\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c2\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eMean (M)\\u0026thinsp;\\u0026plusmn;\\u0026thinsp;SD\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c3\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eMean (M)\\u0026thinsp;\\u0026plusmn;\\u0026thinsp;SD\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c4\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c5\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c1\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eSense of Direction\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c2\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003e3.51\\u0026thinsp;\\u0026plusmn;\\u0026thinsp;1.07\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c3\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003e2.91\\u0026thinsp;\\u0026plusmn;\\u0026thinsp;0.94\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\" char=\\\".\\\" colname=\\\"c4\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003e4.21\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\" char=\\\".\\\" colname=\\\"c5\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003e\\u0026lt;\\u0026thinsp;0.001**\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c1\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eAltruistic Contribution\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c2\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003e3.58\\u0026thinsp;\\u0026plusmn;\\u0026thinsp;1.14\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c3\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003e2.85\\u0026thinsp;\\u0026plusmn;\\u0026thinsp;0.86\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\" char=\\\".\\\" colname=\\\"c4\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003e4.61\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\" char=\\\".\\\" colname=\\\"c5\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003e\\u0026lt;\\u0026thinsp;0.001**\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c1\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eProactive Engagement\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c2\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003e3.36\\u0026thinsp;\\u0026plusmn;\\u0026thinsp;1.05\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c3\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003e2.83\\u0026thinsp;\\u0026plusmn;\\u0026thinsp;0.85\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\" char=\\\".\\\" colname=\\\"c4\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003e3.66\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\" char=\\\".\\\" colname=\\\"c5\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003e\\u0026lt;\\u0026thinsp;0.001**\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c1\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eEmotional Exhaustion\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c2\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003e2.76\\u0026thinsp;\\u0026plusmn;\\u0026thinsp;0.84\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c3\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003e2.79\\u0026thinsp;\\u0026plusmn;\\u0026thinsp;0.70\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\" char=\\\".\\\" colname=\\\"c4\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003e-0.33\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\" char=\\\".\\\" colname=\\\"c5\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003e0.74\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c1\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eDepersonalization\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c2\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003e2.43\\u0026thinsp;\\u0026plusmn;\\u0026thinsp;0.94\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c3\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003e2.81\\u0026thinsp;\\u0026plusmn;\\u0026thinsp;0.80\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\" char=\\\".\\\" colname=\\\"c4\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003e-3.04\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\" char=\\\".\\\" colname=\\\"c5\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003e0.003*\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c1\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003ePersonal Accomplishment\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c2\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003e2.89\\u0026thinsp;\\u0026plusmn;\\u0026thinsp;0.88\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c3\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003e2.95\\u0026thinsp;\\u0026plusmn;\\u0026thinsp;0.76\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\" char=\\\".\\\" colname=\\\"c4\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003e-0.48\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\" char=\\\".\\\" colname=\\\"c5\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003e0.63\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c1\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eProfessional Mission\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c2\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003e3.48\\u0026thinsp;\\u0026plusmn;\\u0026thinsp;0.99\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c3\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003e2.95\\u0026thinsp;\\u0026plusmn;\\u0026thinsp;0.87\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\" char=\\\".\\\" colname=\\\"c4\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003e4.11\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\" char=\\\".\\\" colname=\\\"c5\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003e\\u0026lt;\\u0026thinsp;0.001**\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c1\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eBurnout\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c2\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003e2.79\\u0026thinsp;\\u0026plusmn;\\u0026thinsp;0.77\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\" colname=\\\"c3\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003e2.84\\u0026thinsp;\\u0026plusmn;\\u0026thinsp;0.68\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\" char=\\\".\\\" colname=\\\"c4\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003e-0.54\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\" char=\\\".\\\" colname=\\\"c5\\\"\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003e0.59\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003c/tbody\\u003e\\u003c/colgroup\\u003e\\u003ctfoot\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd colspan=\\\"5\\\"\\u003eNote: p\\u0026thinsp;\\u0026lt;\\u0026thinsp;0.05 is considered statistically significant. Double asterisks (**) indicate significance at the 0.01 level; a single asterisk () indicates significance at the 0.05 level.*\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003c/tfoot\\u003e\\u003c/table\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eTable\\u0026nbsp;\\u003cspan refid=\\\"Tab2\\\" class=\\\"InternalRef\\\"\\u003e2\\u003c/span\\u003e shows that single female teachers scored significantly higher than their married counterparts across all dimensions of professional sense of mission, including Sense of Direction, Altruistic Contribution, Proactive Engagement, and the overall Professional Mission score (p\\u0026thinsp;\\u0026lt;\\u0026thinsp;0.01). In contrast, married teachers reported significantly higher levels of Depersonalization (p\\u0026thinsp;=\\u0026thinsp;0.003). No significant differences were found between the two groups in Emotional Exhaustion, Personal Accomplishment, or overall Burnout levels.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cb\\u003e4.3 Correlation Analysis Between Professional Sense of Mission and Burnout\\u003c/b\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eFigure 4 demonstrates a significant negative correlation between professional sense of mission and burnout (r = -0.51, p\\u0026thinsp;\\u0026lt;\\u0026thinsp;0.01). This implies that higher levels of professional sense of mission are associated with lower levels of burnout among rural teachers. Each dimension of the professional sense of mission (Sense of Direction, Altruistic Contribution, and Proactive Engagement) shows significant correlations with all dimensions of burnout (Emotional Exhaustion, Depersonalization, and Personal Accomplishment).\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e\"},{\"header\":\"5 Discussion\",\"content\":\"\\u003cp\\u003eUsing SPSS 27.0 for data analysis, this study delves into the professional mission and burnout among rural teachers. The discussion is structured into three main parts: overall status, differential analysis, and correlation analysis. Although the initial differential analysis aimed to cover ten aspects, the analysis of school type was excluded due to the absence of private schools in rural areas. Additionally, due to the minimal variation in years of teaching experience, it was considered redundant, resulting in the exclusion of teaching experience as a variable. Therefore, the differential analysis focused on eight remaining demographic variables, employing Pearson correlation and multiple linear regression analyses.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec16\\\" class=\\\"Section2\\\"\\u003e\\u003ch2\\u003e5.1 Overall Status of Professional Mission and Burnout Among Rural Teachers\\u003c/h2\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eThe study included 238 rural teachers from northern Jiangsu. The gender distribution was approximately balanced, with a male-to-female ratio of 1:1. The survey indicated that the guidance dimension scored relatively high, while the proactive dimension scored slightly lower. This suggests that rural teachers possess a strong professional identity and perceive teaching as contributing significantly to society. However, their commitment to professional aspirations and engagement levels are moderate, reflecting a robust professional mission overall.Regarding burnout, rural teachers exhibited high emotional exhaustion, with low scores in depersonalization and personal accomplishment. Teachers generally felt that their roles required substantial effort and time, leading to tension and mental stress. Despite some mental fatigue, they remained committed to helping students and did not harbor negative attitudes toward them or feel blamed by colleagues or students. However, their sense of personal accomplishment was relatively low. Thus, Hypothesis 1 is supported, indicating that rural teachers have above-average levels of professional mission and burnout.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e\\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec17\\\" class=\\\"Section2\\\"\\u003e\\u003ch2\\u003e5.2 Differential Analysis of Professional Identity and Professional Mission Among Primary School Teachers\\u003c/h2\\u003e\\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec18\\\" class=\\\"Section3\\\"\\u003e\\u003ch2\\u003e5.2.1Gender Differences\\u003c/h2\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eThere were no significant differences in the overall professional mission and burnout between male and female rural teachers. However, male teachers scored significantly higher in the proactive dimension, indicating a more determined attitude toward career aspirations and greater professional engagement compared to female teachers. No significant differences were found in other dimensions.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e\\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec19\\\" class=\\\"Section3\\\"\\u003e\\u003ch2\\u003e5.2.2 Age Differences\\u003c/h2\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eRural teachers aged 20\\u0026ndash;30 demonstrated significantly higher professional mission levels compared to those aged 30\\u0026ndash;40 and 40\\u0026ndash;50. No significant differences in burnout were observed across different age groups. Specifically, teachers aged 20\\u0026ndash;30 excelled in the guidance and proactive dimensions compared to their older counterparts. In terms of burnout, there were no significant differences in emotional exhaustion and depersonalization across age groups, but the 20\\u0026ndash;30 age group reported a significantly higher sense of personal accomplishment. Overall, younger teachers exhibited stronger professional missions and enthusiasm, likely due to lower pressure and greater excitement about their roles.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e\\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec20\\\" class=\\\"Section2\\\"\\u003e\\u003ch2\\u003e5.2 3Marital Status Differences\\u003c/h2\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eMarital status significantly impacted the professional mission of rural teachers, but not their burnout levels. Unmarried teachers showed higher levels of professional mission compared to their married counterparts, possibly due to their youth and greater enthusiasm for work. Married teachers, who often juggle work and family responsibilities, displayed lower levels of professional mission but no significant differences in burnout levels were observed.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec21\\\" class=\\\"Section3\\\"\\u003e\\u003ch2\\u003e5.2.4 Educational Background Differences\\u003c/h2\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eEducational background significantly influenced the professional mission of rural teachers but did not significantly impact burnout levels. Teachers with undergraduate degrees outperformed those with associate or master's degrees in all professional mission dimensions. Regarding burnout, significant differences were found only in the personal accomplishment dimension, with undergraduate degree holders performing better. This might be due to the higher motivation and engagement among teachers with higher educational qualifications.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e\\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec22\\\" class=\\\"Section3\\\"\\u003e\\u003ch2\\u003e5.2.5 Professional Title Differences\\u003c/h2\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eSignificant differences in professional mission were found among teachers with different professional titles, with those holding non-teaching positions showing lower levels compared to teachers with various teaching ranks. No significant differences in burnout levels were observed. Teachers with higher professional titles displayed a robust professional mission and lower burnout, likely due to their enthusiasm and commitment to their roles.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e\\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec23\\\" class=\\\"Section3\\\"\\u003e\\u003ch2\\u003e5.2.6 Employment Status Differences\\u003c/h2\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eNo significant differences were observed in the professional mission and burnout levels between teachers with and without formal employment status. Both groups showed low burnout levels and comparable professional mission scores, suggesting that motivation to secure formal employment leads to high engagement and responsibility among non-formally employed teachers.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e\\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec24\\\" class=\\\"Section3\\\"\\u003e\\u003ch2\\u003e5.2.7 Class Teacher Status Differences\\u003c/h2\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eNo significant differences in professional mission and burnout were found between teachers serving as class teachers and those who did not. Teachers not serving as class teachers reported higher average professional mission levels, and class teachers exhibited higher depersonalization scores, indicating that the additional responsibilities of class teachers might contribute to lower professional mission and higher burnout.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e\\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec25\\\" class=\\\"Section3\\\"\\u003e\\u003ch2\\u003e5.2.8 Administrative Position Status Differences\\u003c/h2\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eNo significant differences in professional mission and burnout were observed between teachers with and without administrative positions. Teachers without administrative positions exhibited higher professional mission levels. This could be attributed to their focused teaching roles, whereas administrative duties might dilute the sense of professional mission among those holding such positions.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e\\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec26\\\" class=\\\"Section2\\\"\\u003e\\u003ch2\\u003e5.3 Correlation Analysis Between Professional Identity and Professional Mission Among Primary School Teachers\\u003c/h2\\u003e\\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec27\\\" class=\\\"Section3\\\"\\u003e\\u003ch2\\u003e5.3.1 Correlation Between Professional Mission and Burnout\\u003c/h2\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eCorrelation analysis revealed a significant negative relationship between professional mission and burnout among rural teachers, supporting Hypothesis 2. Emotional exhaustion was most strongly correlated with burnout, suggesting that higher emotional exhaustion leads to increased burnout. Interestingly, teachers with a higher sense of professional mission also exhibited higher burnout levels, possibly due to their increased dedication and involvement in work.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e\\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec28\\\" class=\\\"Section3\\\"\\u003e\\u003ch2\\u003e5.3.2 Regression Analysis Between Professional Identity and Professional Mission\\u003c/h2\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eLinear regression analysis indicated a 47.5% fit between professional mission and burnout, suggesting a significant influence of professional mission on burnout levels. The correlation between professional mission and burnout underscores the higher work-related stress among teachers with a strong professional mission, leading to increased burnout.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e\"},{\"header\":\"6 Conclusion\",\"content\":\"\\u003cp\\u003eThis study provides critical insights into the professional mission and job burnout among rural teachers, highlighting key strengths and areas for improvement. The principal findings, alongside limitations and future research directions, are summarized as follows:(1)Rural teachers exhibited an overall high level of professional mission, with a notable strength in the dimension of guidance. This suggests that they possess a strong sense of direction and purpose in their professional roles, contributing significantly to societal well-being. However, there were notable differences based on marital status, educational background, and whether they held the position of a class teacher. For instance, teachers who were unmarried or had higher educational qualifications tended to demonstrate a stronger professional mission. (2)The level of job burnout among rural teachers was found to be moderate to low. Emotional exhaustion was the primary factor contributing to burnout, indicating significant mental and physical fatigue resulting from their demanding roles. Despite this, teachers showed low levels of depersonalization and a reasonable sense of personal accomplishment, suggesting a commitment to their students and a positive outlook on their professional responsibilities. (3)A significant negative correlation was found between professional mission and job burnout, indicating that a stronger sense of professional mission is associated with lower levels of burnout. This finding emphasizes the necessity of developing a strong professional mission among teachers in order to reduce burnout, as well as improve well-being and job satisfaction. Thus, professional mission could be a valid predictor of job burnout. This study has limitations in terms of sample selection and methodological considerations. The sample is mainly from rural primary schools in Jiangsu Province from China, with a small sample size and scope, limiting the generalizability and representativeness of the study's findings. The study relied heavily on quantitative tools, using only quantitative data without descriptive views originally offered by qualitative research. This limits the extent to which teachers' subjective experiences and different contextual factors around their professional commitment and job burnout can be examined. Future research can be more diverse in geographic areas better inclusive of the contextual variables impacting professional commitment and job burnout, as well as utilize mixed methods. Longitudinal studies and policy research that exploring the relationship between teachers' professional commitment and job burnout is foundational to survey data and improve under examination and a path towards developing evidence-based support structures for educators.\\u003c/p\\u003e\"},{\"header\":\"Declarations\",\"content\":\"\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eEthical Approval\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eThis study received retrospective ethical approval from the Institutional Review Board (IRB) of Nanjing Xiaozhuang University (Approval No.: 2025003) on May 15, 2025, after the completion of data collection. The study was conducted in accordance with the ethical standards of the IRB and the principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eInformed Consent\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eAll participants were fully informed about the nature and objectives of the research and provided their written informed consent prior to participation. The process of obtaining informed consent took place between June 2024 and September 2024, before data collection commenced.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eDeclaration of Conflicting Interests\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eThe author(s) declare no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eData Sharing Agreement\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eThe datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eFunding\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eThis study was supported by the project \\u0026ldquo;Research on the Path and Strategy of Integrating Artificial Intelligence with Ideological and Political Education in Local Ordinary Normal Colleges\\u0026rdquo; (Grant No. 2024DJKT01).\\u003c/p\\u003e\"},{\"header\":\"References\",\"content\":\"\\u003col\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eAli, R., \\u0026amp; Mehdi, I. 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How teacher social-emotional competence affects job burnout: The chain mediation role of teacher-student relationship and well-being. Sustainability, 15(3), 2061.\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eZhu, X. (2013). Discussion of the reconstruction of rural teacher training configuration in China. In Preparing teachers for the 21st century (pp. 79-95). Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer Berlin Heidelberg.\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eZhu, Y. (2020). The Relationship between Career Adaptability, Professional Sense of Mission, Work Engagement, and Job Burnout among Primary and Secondary School Teachers, [D], Nanjing Normal University.\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003c/ol\\u003e\"}],\"fulltextSource\":\"\",\"fullText\":\"\",\"funders\":[],\"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow\":false,\"hasManuscriptDocX\":true,\"hasOptedInToPreprint\":true,\"hasPassedJournalQc\":\"\",\"hasAnyPriority\":false,\"hideJournal\":true,\"highlight\":\"\",\"institution\":\"\",\"isAcceptedByJournal\":false,\"isAuthorSuppliedPdf\":false,\"isDeskRejected\":\"\",\"isHiddenFromSearch\":false,\"isInQc\":false,\"isInWorkflow\":false,\"isPdf\":false,\"isPdfUpToDate\":true,\"isWithdrawnOrRetracted\":false,\"journal\":{\"display\":true,\"email\":\"info@researchsquare.com\",\"identity\":\"researchsquare\",\"isNatureJournal\":false,\"hasQc\":true,\"allowDirectSubmit\":true,\"externalIdentity\":\"\",\"sideBox\":\"\",\"snPcode\":\"\",\"submissionUrl\":\"/submission\",\"title\":\"Research Square\",\"twitterHandle\":\"researchsquare\",\"acdcEnabled\":true,\"dfaEnabled\":false,\"editorialSystem\":\"\",\"reportingPortfolio\":\"\",\"inReviewEnabled\":false,\"inReviewRevisionsEnabled\":true},\"keywords\":\"Professional Mission, Job Burnout, Rural Education, Teacher Well-being, Career Development, Work Satisfaction, Educational Development\",\"lastPublishedDoi\":\"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7020081/v1\",\"lastPublishedDoiUrl\":\"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7020081/v1\",\"license\":{\"name\":\"CC BY 4.0\",\"url\":\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/\"},\"manuscriptAbstract\":\"\\u003cp\\u003eThe critical role of professional mission in fostering career development and job satisfaction, particularly within the resource-constrained context of rural education. Rural teachers face significant challenges, such as heavy workloads, limited resources, and inadequate social support, all of which contribute to job burnout. This research surveyed 238 rural primary school teachers using the Professional Mission Scale and the Job Burnout Scale for data collection and analysis. The findings indicate that rural teachers generally possess a moderate level of professional mission, while job burnout is a prevalent issue among them. Variance and correlation analysis reveal a negative relationship between professional mission and job burnout, suggesting that a stronger sense of professional mission correlates with lower levels of job burnout. The study provides empirical evidence and recommendations aimed at reducing job burnout and enhancing the quality of rural education through the reinforcement of rural teachers' professional mission.\\u003c/p\\u003e\",\"manuscriptTitle\":\"Professional Mission and Teacher Burnout in Rural China: Evidence from Primary School Educators\",\"msid\":\"\",\"msnumber\":\"\",\"nonDraftVersions\":[{\"code\":1,\"date\":\"2025-10-03 12:39:24\",\"doi\":\"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7020081/v1\",\"editorialEvents\":[{\"type\":\"communityComments\",\"content\":0}],\"status\":\"published\",\"journal\":{\"display\":true,\"email\":\"info@researchsquare.com\",\"identity\":\"researchsquare\",\"isNatureJournal\":false,\"hasQc\":true,\"allowDirectSubmit\":true,\"externalIdentity\":\"\",\"sideBox\":\"\",\"snPcode\":\"\",\"submissionUrl\":\"/submission\",\"title\":\"Research Square\",\"twitterHandle\":\"researchsquare\",\"acdcEnabled\":true,\"dfaEnabled\":false,\"editorialSystem\":\"\",\"reportingPortfolio\":\"\",\"inReviewEnabled\":false,\"inReviewRevisionsEnabled\":true}}],\"origin\":\"\",\"ownerIdentity\":\"da3ef5f3-a940-462f-84cb-411efd5ee7e9\",\"owner\":[],\"postedDate\":\"October 3rd, 2025\",\"published\":true,\"recentEditorialEvents\":[],\"rejectedJournal\":[],\"revision\":\"\",\"amendment\":\"\",\"status\":\"posted\",\"subjectAreas\":[{\"id\":55666897,\"name\":\"Social science/Education\"},{\"id\":55666898,\"name\":\"Biological sciences/Psychology\"},{\"id\":55666899,\"name\":\"Social science/Psychology\"}],\"tags\":[],\"updatedAt\":\"2025-10-14T16:38:18+00:00\",\"versionOfRecord\":[],\"versionCreatedAt\":\"2025-10-03 12:39:24\",\"video\":\"\",\"vorDoi\":\"\",\"vorDoiUrl\":\"\",\"workflowStages\":[]},\"version\":\"v1\",\"identity\":\"rs-7020081\",\"journalConfig\":\"researchsquare\"},\"__N_SSP\":true},\"page\":\"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]\",\"query\":{\"redirect\":\"/article/rs-7020081\",\"identity\":\"rs-7020081\",\"version\":[\"v1\"]},\"buildId\":\"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7\",\"isFallback\":false,\"isExperimentalCompile\":false,\"dynamicIds\":[84888],\"gssp\":true,\"scriptLoader\":[]}","source_license":"CC-BY-4.0","license_restricted":false}