Depersonalization in kindergarten teachers in relation to rejection of help by fellow teachers and emotional support from family

The present study investigated the external validity of a model describing the reactions of spurned helpers by examining the relation of spurning with burnout among kindergarten teachers. A second objective was to explore whether emotional support from one's family could reduce the negative effects of feeling spurned on burnout. 48 kindergarten teachers in Macau responded to a questionnaire measuring feeling spurned, emotional support from family, and depersonalization. Analyses indicated the effects of feeling spurned on depersonalization and also the benefit of emotional support; however, no evidence was obtained for the proposed buffering effect of emotional support. Copyright © 1998 Psychological Reports.