European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education

Background/Objectives. ICD–11 classifies burnout as a work-related issue arising from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. According to the Job Demands/Resources Model, job demands represent sources of stress and job resources may buffer the impact of job demands on job strain. Since every profession has its specific spectre of work demands/resources related to stress development, the aim of this study was to examine a model predicting workplace burnout dimensions (emotional exhaustion—EE, depersonalisation—DP, personal accomplishment—PA) in special educational needs (SEN) and general education (GE) teachers, with job demands representing potential “risk factors” and job resources potential “protective factors”. Methods. The study involved 116 SEN teachers from eight primary schools for children with learning difficulties and a sample of 145 teachers from general primary schools in the Belgrade region, which was balanced according to the representation of the main demographic variables in the SEN group. The Maslach Burnout Inventory and Job Characteristics Questionnaire were the instruments employed. Results. No difference was found between SEN and GE teachers in the intensity of burnout dimensions. In the SEN group, Changes were the predictors of all three burnout dimensions, Work environment for EE and DP, Emotional demands and Support from colleagues for EE, Cognitive/Quantitative for PA, and Job control for PA. Concerning the GE group, Support from colleagues predicted all three dimensions, Job control EE and DP, Cognitive/Quantitative DP and PA, Changes DP, and Role conflict and Seniority EE. Conclusions. The results of the study provide a foundation for further testing of a hypothetical predictive model of burnout with job demands as direct predictor and job resources as mediators of this relation.

Adolescents and young adults across Europe face growing mental health challenges, yet many do not seek professional help. Online counselling chat services (OCCS) offer anonymous, accessible, and youth-friendly support, but their varied aims, formats, and resources complicate evaluation and integration into formal care systems. This study aimed to identify shared priorities for the development, evaluation, and implementation of OCCS for youth. Eight focus groups were conducted with 38 stakeholders—including researchers, counsellors, and service coordinators—from eight European countries. Through qualitative content analysis, six key thematic domains emerged: usability and engagement, service quality and effectiveness, infrastructure and integration, sustainability, ethical considerations, and future visions. Participants highlighted OCCS as valuable tools for fostering emotional safety, trust, and accessibility, while also noting persistent challenges such as limited funding, fragile infrastructure, and ethical tensions around anonymity and safeguarding. Crucially, the need for flexible evaluation frameworks that reflect service diversity and for stronger cross-model collaboration was emphasized. These findings provide a strategic foundation for advancing inclusive, sustainable, and youth-centered digital mental health support across Europe.

Research in “cybertherapy” has explored innovative ways to integrate new technologies as innovative tools in psychological treatment, such as virtual reality. Avatars, as digital representations of users within virtual environments, represent an interesting tool for psychotherapists: they could be used to assess aspects of patients’ self-representations (assessment), to promote behavioral change based on an alternative self-image (treatment), or to exercise therapists’ skills in diagnosis and assessment (formation). Yet, the use of avatars in psychotherapy is still not widespread. In the present study, 77 certified psychotherapists evaluated the three possible uses of avatars described above in terms of technology acceptance model (TAM) factors: perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and intention-to-use. Partially confirming the TAM, the results show that perceived usefulness in particular is an effective predictor of intention to use avatars in psychotherapy for all three possible uses. Attitudes towards avatars as a psychotherapeutic tool were slightly influenced by mental health professionals’ methodological approach, with cognitive-behavioral psychotherapists showing more positive attitudes towards avatars as a training tool. On the other hand, previous experiences with other technologies (e.g., conducting therapy online or not) affected the perception of avatars’ ease of use as a treatment tool. The present study contributes to identifying factors that influence mental health professionals’ attitudes towards technological innovations in the psychotherapy profession, giving directions for future research in cybertherapy adoption.

Burnout is a growing concern in the teaching profession, reflecting the inability to cope with persistent workplace stress and posing serious risks to teachers’ well-being and the sustainability of educational systems. It is characterised by diminished personal accomplishment, lack of fulfilment, and reduced productivity at work, usually expressed in three dimensions: emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation, and professional accomplishment. This study evaluated the relationship between burnout and workplace bullying among teachers in Portugal. Data were collected through an online questionnaire including sociodemographic information, the Maslach Burnout Inventory, and the Leymann Inventory of Psychological Terrorization scale (LIPT-60), with a final sample of 2003 teachers from preschool to higher education. Both instruments demonstrated excellent validity and reliability (KMO > 0.90; Cronbach’s α > 0.87). Most teachers presented a low risk of burnout (61.2%), while 36.9% were at moderate risk, with emotional exhaustion emerging as the most critical dimension (37.8% high levels). Statistically significant differences in burnout were found by gender, marital status, contractual relationship, working hours, and family separation. Workplace bullying correlated significantly with all burnout dimensions, with victims reporting higher emotional exhaustion and depersonalisation and lower professional accomplishment. These findings highlight the need for institutional strategies to reduce bullying and prevent teacher burnout, thereby promoting sustainable education systems.