Abstract
BACKGROUND: To investigate the relationship between occupational stress and burnout among primary and secondary school physical education (PE) teachers and its underlying mechanisms. METHOD: Study 1 utilized a large cross-sectional sample of 4,397 teachers and employed multiverse-style analysis to examine the robustness of the relationship between occupational stress and burnout. Study 2 applied a 21-day diary method to a sample of 324 teachers to explore the intrinsic mechanisms through which occupational stress affects burnout. RESULTS: Study 1 found a positive and robust relationship between occupational stress and burnout. Study 2 revealed that rumination and negative emotions act as a chain mediation mechanism in the influence of occupational stress on burnout. CONCLUSION: These findings have significant practical and theoretical implications for improving the quality of physical education and students' physical fitness.