Objective

to describe nursing students’ level of burnout (exhaustion, cynicism and academic efficacy) and academic engagement through the variable engagement (absorption, dedication and vigour), and to analyse associations, relations and predictions between these variables.

Materials and method

cross-sectional descriptive study with 1009 subjects. Data collection instruments: student versions of the Maslach Burnout Inventory and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale.

Results

the dimensions of burnout and engagement correlated with each other. The higher the score for academic efficacy, the lower the scores for exhaustion and cynicism and the higher the score in all dimensions of academic engagement. Vigour and dedication predicted higher scores for academic efficacy. Females’ self-perceptions indicated lower scores for cynicism and higher scores for academic efficacy, absorption and dedication.

Conclusions

students evidenced more burnout when they obtained high scores for exhaustion and cynicism and low scores for academic efficacy. In addition, high scores for the three dimensions of engagement indicated high commitment to their studies. The relationship between these variables indicates a difference between males and females and a positive influence of engagement on students’ academic efficacy. Promoting engagement could help students to deal with academic tasks and enter the labour market with a greater probability of success.

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