The modern preschool education system demands high standards from the personality and professional competence of educators. Teachers are required to function in a mode of constant emotional immersion, high responsibility, and multitasking. This makes the teaching profession in PEOs one of the most vulnerable in terms of the risk of developing emotional burnout syndrome. According to recent studies, a significant portion of teaching staff exhibits symptoms of burnout or is in the risk group [9].

Professional burnout is a bodily response to prolonged exposure to professional stress, encompassing emotional exhaustion, depersonalization (a cynical attitude towards work and participants in the educational process), and a reduction in professional achievements [5]. For the PEO administrator, the problem of employee burnout transcends individual psychological issues, becoming a factor that influences workforce stability, the psychological climate within the team, and ultimately, the quality of education. As L. V. Filatova rightly notes, “the well-being of the pupil begins with the well-being of the teacher,” which makes the establishment of a prevention system a key management task [4].

Factors of Professional Burnout Among PEO Teachers

Managing the process of prevention is impossible without a clear understanding of the etiology of the phenomenon. The modern scientific literature identifies a range of causes specific to preschool education:

1. Organizational and Normative Factors. Frequent changes in regulations, high work intensity, and the need to process a large volume of reporting lead to a feeling of instability and overload [1; 3]. Non-optimized labor leaves teachers with minimal time for full rest and emotional unloading during the workday [1].
2. Communicational Tension. A PEO teacher interacts daily with three categories of educational relationship participants: children, parents, and colleagues. This creates a “triple cross-impact” effect [5]. The problem of communication with parents is particularly acute, as some have developed a consumer attitude towards teachers as service personnel, which diminishes the teacher's self-respect and motivation [2; 3].
3. Socio-Economic Conditions. Despite the declared importance of preschool education, the teaching profession remains low-paid and not always prestigious, exacerbating feelings of frustration and job dissatisfaction [3].
4. Changing Contingent of Pupils. The implementation of inclusive practices requires teachers to constantly improve themselves, master special methodologies, and demonstrate increased stress resistance when working with children with special educational needs [2; 3].

Diagnosis as a Stage of the Management Cycle

Effective management of the burnout correction process begins with regular and systematic diagnostics. A PEO manager or psychologist can utilize valid tools that allow not only for the identification of the problem but also for the clarification of its structural components.

Researchers E. V. Konoplya and M.Yu. Uvarova in their work propose a set of diagnostic methods that can serve as a foundation for monitoring the professional health of educators [3; 6]:

– The method for diagnosing the level of emotional burnout by V. V. Boyko — allows for the identification of dominant symptoms and phases of burnout (tension, resistance, exhaustion).

– The stress resilience assessment scale by S. Kouhen and G. Williamson.

– The loss and gain questionnaire (LGP) by N. E. Vodopyanova — for assessing personal resources.

– The methodology for studying motivation in professional activities by K. Zamfir, modified by A. Rean.

Conducting such diagnostics allows for the identification of a «risk group» and the development of targeted support measures.

Prevention and Correction System: A Management Approach

The prevention of SЭB (emotional burnout) should not be a one-time effort but a systematic approach. Based on the analysis of practical cases and scientific publications, two interconnected areas of work can be highlighted: organizational-managerial and psychological-pedagogical.

1. Organizational-managerial conditions

Creating a healthy work environment is the prerogative of the administration of educational institutions. Key tools here include:

– Labor optimization and emotional unloading. The implementation of modern information technologies allows for reducing time spent on routine reporting, freeing up resources for creativity and rest [1]. It is essential to provide opportunities for brief relaxation for educators during the day.

– Development of mentorship and corporate culture. The mentoring institute is essential not only for young specialists but also for experienced educators, as it allows for the transmission of successful experiences and helps them feel valued [7]. The establishment of traditions and joint leisure activities (going to theaters, creative gatherings) contributes to team cohesion and improves the psychological climate [2].

– Moral incentive. Public recognition of achievements, sharing information about educators' accomplishments on the organization's website, and organizing internal competitions for professional skills increase employees' self-esteem and strengthen their positive attitude towards the profession [2].

2. Psychological-pedagogical correction and prevention

This direction is implemented through a system of training, consultations, and special programs. The main focus is on increasing resource availability, stress resistance, and communicative competence among educators.

The «Path to Harmony» program. An example of systemic work is the program approved by the Federation of Educational Psychologists of Russia. It is designed for the academic year and includes diagnostic assessments as well as a series of classes utilizing ICT, quest technologies, art therapy, and meditative practices [9]. The unusual game format (case games «Emergency Situations: Action Plan», quests) increases educators’ motivation to participate in preventive activities.

Corrective psychological counseling program. The study by E. V. Konoplya demonstrated the effectiveness of a program aimed at structural components of burnout [3]. The program included five blocks: introductory, informational, diagnostic, corrective-developmental, and concluding. Particular attention is drawn to the methods used:

– Synchronogymnastics by the «Key» method of K. H. Aliyev. Exercises («Whip», «Humpty Dumpty») allow for quick stress relief through the coordination of mental and physiological processes [3].

– Communicative games («Square», «Finding Common Ground»). Aimed at team cohesion and developing effective interaction skills, which reduces conflicts and saves the personal resources of educators [3].

– Working with professional motivation. Using ideas from M. Csikszentmihalyi's flow theory helps educators learn to find satisfaction in the very process of professional activity [3].

Unconventional forms of work. Practice shows high effectiveness in so-called «creative hours» and «game hours». For example, games like «Taxi» or «Pancake» help shift attention, relieve accumulated tension in a safe game form, and promote the smooth adaptation of young educators [2].

Managing professional burnout among the teaching staff in preschool educational institutions (PEI) is a complex task that requires the integration of efforts from both the administration and psychological services. Prevention cannot be effective if it is limited to one-time lectures or workshops. It is necessary to create a comprehensive system that includes optimizing the organizational working conditions, fostering a supportive corporate culture, and providing regular psychological support aimed at developing self-regulation skills and strengthening the personal resources of educators. Only such a systematic approach can reduce the severity of the burnout problem and improve the quality of the educational environment in preschool organizations as a whole.

References:

1. Zhirko, Yu. S. Optimization of teachers' work in preschool educational institutions as a component of emotional unloading / Yu. S. Zhirko // Scientific and Methodological Electronic Journal «Koncept». — 2025.
2. Zhukova, I. S. The problem of professional burnout among preschool educators and ways to address it / I. S. Zhukova // Almanac of the Educator. — 2025.
3. Konoplya, E. V. Research on the possibility of correcting professional burnout among preschool teachers by influencing its structural components during psychological counseling / E. V. Konoplya // Young Scientist. — 2024. — No. 49 (548). — P. 198–201.
4. Filatova, L. V. The well-being of the child begins with the well-being of the teacher. Prevention of teacher burnout / L. V. Filatova // Modern Preschool Education: Theory and Practice. — 2025. — No. 15.
5. Content and organization of work on the prevention of professional burnout syndrome among educators / compiled by T. S. Lapteva // Inforook. — 2017 / actualization 2024.
6. Uvarova, M. Yu. Scientific advisor of Konoplya E. V.'s research / M. Yu. Uvarova // Young Scientist. — 2024.
7. Gontareva, V. S. Methodical recommendations, guide for the mentor educator for the mentored educator / V. S. Gontareva.