Learned Helplessness: A Piece of the Burnout Puzzle

Learned helplessness is a phenomenon wherein people are repeatedly exposed to situations beyond their control. Such exposure results in passivity, decreased interest and a reduction in the initiation of responses. This presentation used learned helplessness as a model for better understanding burnout as experienced by teachers of exceptional children. Comparisons are made between the treatment for learned helplessness and possible parallel strategies for preventing burnout. These strategies include helping educators to (a) set realistic and attainable goals, (b) recognize the control which they do have and (c) develop a realistic understanding of the causes for their actual failures.