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Vocational Indecision and Burnout in Students

Published

April 28, 2023

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Can vocational indecision lead to burnout in university students? If so, is it possible to prevent it?

Burnout isn’t just a workplace problem; it can also affect students while they’re studying and trying to choose a career path. Students who can’t decide on an occupation (known as vocational indecision) may feel overwhelmed and experience mental health problems like burnout.

Gallant & LeBreton surveyed 318 undergraduate students (239 women and 79 men) aged 18 to 25 to better understand the relationship between vocational indecision, burnout, and psychological flexibility (which helps people make decisions and cope with uncertainty). The research was designed to test two hypotheses:

  1. The more vocational indecision students experience, the more burned out they are in their studies.
  2. Psychological flexibility acts as an intermediary in the relationship between vocational indecision and burnout.

An online survey was designed using different scientifically validated questionnaires to measure vocational indecision, burnout, and psychological flexibility.

After various statistical analyses, the authors confirmed their two research hypotheses. On the one hand, the more undecided a student is about their career choice, the more likely they are to be academically burnt out. Not surprisingly, career indecision is higher among students in general education programs (which do not lead directly to a specific occupation, such as history or sociology programs) than among those in professional university programs (which lead directly to a profession, such as teaching, nursing, or engineering).

On the other hand, this relationship between vocational indecision and burnout is partially influenced by psychological flexibility. Thus, an individual with strong psychological flexibility would be better able to make decisions and less likely to experience burnout.

To help students adjust to new circumstances and make informed career decisions without feeling overwhelmed by uncertainty, it’s important to develop their mental adaptability. One way to do this, according to the authors, is through training based on the Acceptance and Commitment Approach (ACT), a type of therapy that focuses on accepting one’s thoughts and feelings. This approach could be useful for CDPs working in a school setting and could potentially reduce the risk of mental health issues (like anxiety, depression, and burnout) that are associated with inflexibility.

Research / Original Citation

Gallant, L. & LeBreton, D. (2020). À la rencontre de l’indécision vocationnelle et de l’épuisement professionnel: la flexibilité psychologique comme levier d’intervention. Canadian Journal of Career Development/Revue canadienne de développement de carrière, 19(2), 4–18. https://cjcd-rcdc.ceric.ca/index.php/cjcd/article/view/11

This research cannot establish causality between the themes studied. In addition, the sample is small, untargeted, and unrepresentative (especially in terms of gender). The survey was conducted at the beginning of a semester, a period that is generally less stressful for students. Finally, the study does not investigate the assumption that students should choose an occupation, an assumption that create the social pressure leading students to become overwhelmed.

Fun Facts

The University of Sherbrooke identifies four stages of student burnout:

  1. Idealistic enthusiasm: the student has a high level of energy but unrealistic expectations, which often results in over-investment in studies.
  2. Stagnation: interest and motivation decrease, while stress increases, as expectations are impossible to achieve. There is often an even greater investment in studies at this stage, at the expense of rest and social activities.
  3. Disillusionment: fatigue sets in more and more. Exaggerated expectations lead to a feeling of inefficiency, questioning and a high level of stress. The student may adopt ineffective coping mechanisms (e.g., substance abuse problems) and miss classes/deadlines.
  4. Exhaustion or demoralization: The student feels exhausted and unable to study. A depressive state sets in, with more pronounced physical symptoms and an inability to perform simple tasks (such as cooking or showering). Consultation with a professional is often necessary at this stage.

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