Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis for validating a work burnout inventory for university teachers in China

This study aims to develop an inventory for measuring burnout among university teachers. A total of 1,894 valid responses from 22 universities were analyzed. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) identified three core dimensions of burnout: diminished research accomplishment, depersonalization, and emotional exhaustion. Factor loadings ranged from 0.641 to 0.846, with a cumulative variance contribution of 64.89%, indicating strong reliability and validity. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) confirmed that the three-factor model provided an excellent fit for the data. Importantly, the study revealed that teachers in Confucian cultural contexts might underestimate job burnout. This study contributes practical and theoretical insights for tuniversity eacher development.