Jonas Höög

Burnout, working conditions and gender - results from the northern Sweden MONICA Study

BackgroundSick-leave because of mental and behavioural disorders has increased considerably in Sweden since the late nineties, and especially in women. The aim of this study was to assess the level of burnout in the general working population in northern Sweden and analyse its relation to working conditions and gender.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study the survey from the MONICA-study (Monitoring of Trends and Determinants in Cardiovascular Disease) in northern Sweden 2004 was used. A burnout instrument, the Shirom Melamed Burnout Questionnaire (SMBQ), was incorporated in the original survey which was sent to a random sample of 2500 individuals with a response rate of 76%. After including only actively working people, aged 25-64 years, our study population consisted of 1000 participants (497 women and 503 men). ANOVA and multiple linear regression models were used.ResultsThe prevalence of a high level of burnout (SMBQ >4.0) was 13%. Women had a higher level of burnout than men with the most pronounced difference in the age group 35-44 years. In both sexes the level of burnout decreased with age. Demand and control at work, and job insecurity were related to burnout. In women the level of education, socioeconomic position, work object, and working varying hours were of importance. Interaction effects were found between sex and work object, and sex and working hours. In a multiple regression analysis almost half of the gender difference could be explained by work related and life situational factors.ConclusionsWorking life conditions contributed to the level of burnout in this actively working sample from the general population in northern Sweden. Especially in women, socioeconomic position was associated with burnout. The high level of burnout in women compared to men was partly explained by more unfavourable working conditions and life situational factors. Efforts to level out gender differences in burnout should probably focus on improving both working and socioeconomic conditions for women.

Successful Principalship – The Swedish Case

Over the past three decades, the forces of globalisation – economic, political and cultural – have significantly affected institutions and people across the world: altering in some ways the very terrain of public and private life. Public education has in no small way been challenged by new realities and new demands in an increasingly interdependent yet competitive world environment. School principals are uniquely positioned as formal leaders of diverse and complex educational systems to mediate the often times opposing forces of globalisation and localism with their communities. This article examines school leaders’ understanding of their work and their work role priorities, especially with regard to teaching and learning, within a policy environment characterised by increasingly convergent policy and leadership discourse. Two major questions are addressed, theoretically and empirically: in what ways do school principals in Sweden, which has strong democratic traditions, address the tension between localism and national interests and the press for conformity to new global imperatives and demands; and to what degree, if any, has globalisation created a new hegemony in school leadership? It is concluded that school principals in Sweden respond to questions about their schools without any reference to new global imperatives and demands. Their attention was generally related to national demands. Also, we see no clear evidence that globalisation has created a new hegemony in school leadership in Sweden.

Swedish Successful Schools Revisited

This study is a case study conducted over 6 years. In the first round of visits to schools 6 years ago, in the ISSPP context (Hoog et al. J Educ Adm 43(6): 595–606, 2005), we found two very self-confident and successful principals who had created, over the last 3–4 years, very successful schools out of schools in challenging situations. Their students had started to produce good marks over the national average.

Measuring the Social and Civic Objectives of Schools1

This study is part of a Swedish project “Structure, Culture, Leadership – prerequisites for successful schools?” The study presents a tool for the analysis of school outcomes. How can social and civic objectives be measured and what differences between schools can be found when it comes to achieving these objectives? The aim is to assess the pupils’ development through a questionnaire based on the curriculum in areas like: democratic values, communication, respect for human differences, self-consciousness, responsibility, critical evaluation, creativity. The study is conducted among 2128 pupils in 24 secondary schools in 12 municipalities.

Work situation and self-perceived economic situation as predictors of change in burnout - a prospective general population-based cohort study

BackgroundSick leave rates due to mental and behavioural disorders have increased in Sweden during the last decades. The aim of this prospective study was to investigate changes in the level of burnout in a working subset of the general population and to identify how such changes relate to changes in work situation and self-perceived economic situation.MethodsA cohort of 1000 persons from a subset of the 2004 northern Sweden MONICA (Multinational Monitoring of Trends and Determinants in Cardiovascular Disease) general population survey was followed over a five-year period (2004–2009). In total, 623 persons (323 women and 300 men) were included in the analysis. Burnout levels were measured at baseline and follow-up using the Shirom Melamed Burnout Questionnaire. Risk factors were assessed at both measuring points.ResultsIn the whole study cohort, a small (−0.15) but statistically significant reduction in burnout level was found. No differences in change of burnout were found between men and women. Constant strain at work, an increased risk of unemployment, and a perceived worsening of economic situation during the study time period were related to an increased burnout level. An accumulation of these risk factors was associated with increased burnout level.ConclusionsRisk factors in work situation and self-perceived economy are related to changes in burnout level, and special attention should be directed towards persons exposed to multiple risk factors.

The Hurricane of Accountabilities? : Comparison of Accountability Comprehensions and Practices

During the past 5 years since we visited the schools and principals were included in the International Successful School Principals Project for the first time, major changes have occurred in the ways in which schools are governed and managed. Since the start of the project in 2001, the “hurricane of accountability” has reached all countries in the project. This recent development is, first of all, characterized by an increased focus on student achievement and performance measurement as a key part of evaluation processes. Second, it implies a changed concept of educational quality, which in form seems to be defined by expectations about specific outcomes. Third, it indicates a belief that any divergence between the expected outcomes and the level of achievements can be identified. Along with this development, schools are increasingly being perceived as the unit of measurement and the need to make actors such as principals and teachers accountable is emerging.

Swedish successful schools revisited

This study is a case study conducted over 6 years. In the first round of visits to schools 6 years ago, in the ISSPP context (Hoog et al. J Educ Adm 43(6): 595–606, 2005), we found two very self-confident and successful principals who had created, over the last 3–4 years, very successful schools out of schools in challenging situations. Their students had started to produce good marks over the national average.We went back to the schools in 2008/2009 and found that the successful principals were not there any more but the schools were still producing good student outcomes with mean grades over the national average.Strong teacher teams in both schools had kept the good connection to the local society and the parents of the children. Their definition of a successful school was in line with the parents’ ideas and was based on the slogan “good is good enough.”The second principal in one school had already left and the principal in the other was about to leave. They both had not been able to get connected to and inspire the teacher teams to improve their work. Their leadership style deviated from a leadership based on trust, dialogue, and collaboration and they both decided to leave their position. The third principal at the River school struggled to keep the school on a good academic level, despite the decreasing numbers of students, and in his vision he said that he will strive to increase the outcomes.In 2010, the two schools still present good results over the national average and also better than expected, considering the socioeconomic background of students. Again, this was possible not only because of qualified teachers and support from the local community but also a strengthened focus on outcomes on behalf of the principals. They both strived to develop new structures for the division of labor among the teachers. Due to decreasing student numbers this has to be done, but a complementing reason is to create a more result-oriented school organization. There was a lot of opposition against those plans; so, a leadership combining structural and cultural changes based on a developed dialog both on a group and on an individual level was required. In all though, the prognosis for the new principals seem to be good and even better student performance could be expected over the coming years.

Swedish Successful Schools Revisted

This study is a case study conducted over 6 years. In the first round of visits to schools 6 years ago, in the ISSPP context (Hoog et al. J Educ Adm 43(6): 595–606, 2005), we found two very self-confident and successful principals who had created, over the last 3–4 years, very successful schools out of schools in challenging situations. Their students had started to produce good marks over the national average.We went back to the schools in 2008/2009 and found that the successful principals were not there any more but the schools were still producing good student outcomes with mean grades over the national average.Strong teacher teams in both schools had kept the good connection to the local society and the parents of the children. Their definition of a successful school was in line with the parents’ ideas and was based on the slogan “good is good enough.”The second principal in one school had already left and the principal in the other was about to leave. They both had not been able to get connected to and inspire the teacher teams to improve their work. Their leadership style deviated from a leadership based on trust, dialogue, and collaboration and they both decided to leave their position. The third principal at the River school struggled to keep the school on a good academic level, despite the decreasing numbers of students, and in his vision he said that he will strive to increase the outcomes.In 2010, the two schools still present good results over the national average and also better than expected, considering the socioeconomic background of students. Again, this was possible not only because of qualified teachers and support from the local community but also a strengthened focus on outcomes on behalf of the principals. They both strived to develop new structures for the division of labor among the teachers. Due to decreasing student numbers this has to be done, but a complementing reason is to create a more result-oriented school organization. There was a lot of opposition against those plans; so, a leadership combining structural and cultural changes based on a developed dialog both on a group and on an individual level was required. In all though, the prognosis for the new principals seem to be good and even better student performance could be expected over the coming years.