THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EMOTIONAL LABOR AND OCCUPATIONAL BURNOUT AMONG UNIVERSITY MENTAL HEALTH TEACHERS

Abstract

This study explores the relationship between emotional labor and occupational burnout among university mental health teachers. Due to the nature of their work, university mental health educators engage in significant emotional labor, which, if not properly managed, can easily lead to occupational burnout. Emotional labor leads to occupational burnout by depleting psychological resources: surface acting positively predicts occupational burnout; deep acting may alleviate burnout through positive feedback, but long-term emotional regulation still carries the risk of implicit exhaustion; natural emotional expression negatively impacts burnout, but is difficult to achieve in the high‑pressure environment of mental health teachers. Mental health educators abroad and those in China operate in different contexts and employ distinct methods, rendering foreign research of limited relevance. Currently, there is a scarcity of studies in China examining the relationship between emotional labor and occupational burnout among mental health educators. This paper compiles domestic and international literature using a systematic review approach and provides a critical evaluation of existing research. It offers valuable insights for improving the current state of occupational burnout among university mental health educators and cultivating their ability to effectively utilize emotional labor strategies.