Digital and Digitized Interventions for Teachers’ Professional Well-Being: A Systematic Review of Work Engagement and Burnout Using the Job Demands–Resources Theory

Teachers’ work engagement and burnout are crucial for both teachers and students. Traditional interventions have reduced burnout and increased engagement. However, with the rise in digital interventions and their advantages in scalability, cost-effectiveness, higher reach, and fidelity, we aimed to...

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Main Authors: Kaja Lillelien, Maria Therese Jensen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Education Sciences
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/15/7/799
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author Kaja Lillelien
Maria Therese Jensen
author_facet Kaja Lillelien
Maria Therese Jensen
author_sort Kaja Lillelien
collection DOAJ
description Teachers’ work engagement and burnout are crucial for both teachers and students. Traditional interventions have reduced burnout and increased engagement. However, with the rise in digital interventions and their advantages in scalability, cost-effectiveness, higher reach, and fidelity, we aimed to explore these aspects further. Thus, our research questions were: What are the core components of teachers’ digital and digitized interventions for work engagement and burnout? How are these interventions implemented, focusing on the mode of delivery, support systems, fidelity, and dosage? We examined the core components and implementation factors, including the mode of delivery, support systems, fidelity, and dosage of digital interventions for teachers’ work engagement and burnout. A systematic review of the literature was conducted using Cochrane guidelines and PRISMA reporting. Of 1761 studies, 15 were eligible, and six were included, but none examined work engagement as an outcome variable. Moreover, core components included mindfulness, stress management, emotional intelligence, social–emotional competencies, organizational skills, and technological competence, all targeting personal resource development. These findings align with Domitrovich et al.’s framework and JD-R theory, emphasizing support systems and personal resources. Using the Job-demands resources theory and Domitrovich et al.’s framework, we found that all six studies focused on burnout using the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Four reported significantly decreased emotional exhaustion, two increased personal accomplishment, and one decreased depersonalization. Two digital interventions showed no significant changes in the burnout dimension. The small sample size limits conclusions, but the results indicate a fundamental difference between digital and digitized interventions regarding design, and the necessary support systems. Our findings indicate that core components must target teachers’ personal and job resources and job demands. Moreover, fidelity, dosage, and duration measures are crucial, along with facilitated group discussions and technical assistance for successful outcomes on burnout. These findings are relevant for practitioners, researchers, and policymakers, extending beyond education. Future research directions and implications are discussed.
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spelling doaj-art-8b05d71a07054972b7de6a41bbfa31a52025-08-20T03:07:57ZengMDPI AGEducation Sciences2227-71022025-06-0115779910.3390/educsci15070799Digital and Digitized Interventions for Teachers’ Professional Well-Being: A Systematic Review of Work Engagement and Burnout Using the Job Demands–Resources TheoryKaja Lillelien0Maria Therese Jensen1Norwegian Centre for Learning Environment and Behavioural Research in Education, University of Stavanger, 4021 Stavanger, NorwayNorwegian Reading Centre, University of Stavanger, 4021 Stavanger, NorwayTeachers’ work engagement and burnout are crucial for both teachers and students. Traditional interventions have reduced burnout and increased engagement. However, with the rise in digital interventions and their advantages in scalability, cost-effectiveness, higher reach, and fidelity, we aimed to explore these aspects further. Thus, our research questions were: What are the core components of teachers’ digital and digitized interventions for work engagement and burnout? How are these interventions implemented, focusing on the mode of delivery, support systems, fidelity, and dosage? We examined the core components and implementation factors, including the mode of delivery, support systems, fidelity, and dosage of digital interventions for teachers’ work engagement and burnout. A systematic review of the literature was conducted using Cochrane guidelines and PRISMA reporting. Of 1761 studies, 15 were eligible, and six were included, but none examined work engagement as an outcome variable. Moreover, core components included mindfulness, stress management, emotional intelligence, social–emotional competencies, organizational skills, and technological competence, all targeting personal resource development. These findings align with Domitrovich et al.’s framework and JD-R theory, emphasizing support systems and personal resources. Using the Job-demands resources theory and Domitrovich et al.’s framework, we found that all six studies focused on burnout using the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Four reported significantly decreased emotional exhaustion, two increased personal accomplishment, and one decreased depersonalization. Two digital interventions showed no significant changes in the burnout dimension. The small sample size limits conclusions, but the results indicate a fundamental difference between digital and digitized interventions regarding design, and the necessary support systems. Our findings indicate that core components must target teachers’ personal and job resources and job demands. Moreover, fidelity, dosage, and duration measures are crucial, along with facilitated group discussions and technical assistance for successful outcomes on burnout. These findings are relevant for practitioners, researchers, and policymakers, extending beyond education. Future research directions and implications are discussed.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/15/7/799teachers’ work engagementburnoutdigital interventionsemotional exhaustionJob Demands–Resources (JD-R) theoryMaslach Burnout Inventory
spellingShingle Kaja Lillelien
Maria Therese Jensen
Digital and Digitized Interventions for Teachers’ Professional Well-Being: A Systematic Review of Work Engagement and Burnout Using the Job Demands–Resources Theory
Education Sciences
teachers’ work engagement
burnout
digital interventions
emotional exhaustion
Job Demands–Resources (JD-R) theory
Maslach Burnout Inventory
title Digital and Digitized Interventions for Teachers’ Professional Well-Being: A Systematic Review of Work Engagement and Burnout Using the Job Demands–Resources Theory
title_full Digital and Digitized Interventions for Teachers’ Professional Well-Being: A Systematic Review of Work Engagement and Burnout Using the Job Demands–Resources Theory
title_fullStr Digital and Digitized Interventions for Teachers’ Professional Well-Being: A Systematic Review of Work Engagement and Burnout Using the Job Demands–Resources Theory
title_full_unstemmed Digital and Digitized Interventions for Teachers’ Professional Well-Being: A Systematic Review of Work Engagement and Burnout Using the Job Demands–Resources Theory
title_short Digital and Digitized Interventions for Teachers’ Professional Well-Being: A Systematic Review of Work Engagement and Burnout Using the Job Demands–Resources Theory
title_sort digital and digitized interventions for teachers professional well being a systematic review of work engagement and burnout using the job demands resources theory
topic teachers’ work engagement
burnout
digital interventions
emotional exhaustion
Job Demands–Resources (JD-R) theory
Maslach Burnout Inventory
url https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/15/7/799
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