Network analysis of Emotional Intelligence domains and dimensions of Burnout in Peruvian teachers

Introduction. Teaching is an emotionally challenging profession, sometimes resulting in high levels of stress, burnout, and teacher burnout. It has often been claimed that certain emotional competencies such as emotional intelligence can reduce feelings of burnout in teachers. Method. Method. A descriptive and correlational analysis was made of the dimensions of emotional intelligence (evaluation of own emotions, evaluation of others' emotions, emotion regulation, use of emotions) and burnout factors (emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and low personal fulfillment). Network analysis was applied as a statistical technique, which jointly represents the partial correlations of all variables. A sample of 244 elementary school teachers (51.6% female) and (48.4% male) aged 25 to 65 years (M = 45.68, SD = 8.43) working in thirteen educational institutions located in urban and semi-urban areas of the metropolitan city of Lima, Peru, was taken into account. Results. The largest positive network connections were found between emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and low self-actualization, as well as between understanding others' emo-tions and using emotions, both measures were more influential on the other associative network patterns. While the strongest negative association was recorded between low self-actualization and understanding one's own emotions. Likewise, the stability of the measures of strength cen-trality and the accuracy of the network nodes or variables was demonstrated. Discussion or Conclusion. It is possible to conclude in the present research a greater im-portance of the components of evaluation of the emotions of others and use of emotions, which directly and indirectly reinforce the connections of the dynamics of emotional intelligence and reduce the levels of burnout, especially strengthen a lower degree of emotional exhaustion, which was the factor with the highest score. The consideration of such emotional competencies is determinant for a better efficacy in the intervention and prevention of burnout in teachers. Likewise, the depersonalization measure is the nexus variable that influences the manifestation of higher levels of feelings of emotional exhaustion and low personal fulfillment.