Introduction Teachers represent an occupation with high levels of burnout.

Objective To identify determinants of burnout in teachers.

Methods We conducted a systematic review according to PROSPERO protocol CRD42018105901. We performed literature search for the period 1990–2018 in three databases: MEDLINE, PsycINFO and Embase. We included longitudinal studies where burnout was dependent variable, with at least 50 participants per exposure group. We sorted and summarized studies by type of independent variables (determinants), and used MEVORECH tool for risk of bias assessment (RBA). For quantitative synthesis, we focused on the emotional exhaustion dimension of burnout (EE). We standardized the reported regression coefficients and their standard error and plotted them using R software to distinguish between detrimental and protective determinants.

Results Qualitative analysis of included studies (n=33) identified 35 determinants studied among teachers. Most studies implemented two waves (W) of data collection with 6–12 months between W1 and W2, but different outcome definitions and instruments for data collection were used in different studies. Only four types of determinants could be summarized quantitatively: support, conflict, organisational context and individual characteristics, based on six studies. After plotting the results, individual characteristics (low teacher self-efficacy, low job satisfaction, neuroticism, and emotional exhaustion at W1) and organisational factors (classroom disruption, perceived collective exhaustion, and poor work climate) had significantly detrimental effect. The RBA showed that most studies assessed the major confounding factors, but had external and internal validity issues, due to limitations in sampling, inadequate reporting of response rates and exclusion rates, or use of self-reported instruments with uncertain validity and reliability.

Conclusion This review identified several detrimental determinants of burnout in teachers. The results on protective determinants were inconsistent between studies and varying from wave to wave. Further investigations should be conducted by using the same burnout definition and validated instruments for its measurement.