The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of ICT-based after-hours work continuity and technostress on burnout among early childhood teachers. To achieve this purpose, the following research questions were formulated.
1. What are the level...
The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of ICT-based after-hours work continuity and technostress on burnout among early childhood teachers. To achieve this purpose, the following research questions were formulated.
1. What are the levels of ICT-based work connectivity after hours, technostress, and burnout among early childhood teachers?
2. What are the relationships among ICT-based work connectivity after hours, technostress, and burnout?
3. How do ICT-based work connectivity after hours and technostress affect burnout among early childhood teachers?
To measure ICT-based after-hours work continuity, a scale originally developed by Richardson (2011) and Boswell and Olson-Buchanan (2007), and later modified by Oh (2015), was used. The original 7-point scale was revised to a 5-point scale based on a pilot study and expert consultation to suit the purpose of this research. Technostress was measured using a scale developed by Tarafdar et al. (2007) and Ayyagari et al. (2011), which was later modified by Kim (2023). Burnout was assessed using the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) developed by Maslach and Jackson (1981), adapted into Korean by Kim (1991) and Kang (1996), and further revised by Yoo (2022) for early childhood teachers.
The collected data were analyzed using SPSS 25.0. Frequency analysis, descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and hierarchical regression analysis were conducted.
The major findings of this study are as follows. First, ICT-based after-hours work continuity, technostress, and burnout were found to be at moderate levels. Among the subfactors of burnout, emotional exhaustion showed the highest level. Second, ICT-based after-hours work continuity was positively correlated with both technostress and burnout, and technostress showed significant positive correlations with overall burnout and its subfactors. Third, the results of hierarchical regression analysis revealed that ICT-based after-hours work continuity had a significant positive effect on burnout. Among the subfactors of technostress, uncertainty and invasion—reflecting perceptions of privacy and personal time being intruded upon in an ICT-based work environment—were identified as significant predictors that increased burnout, whereas overload and complexity showed negative effects. The final model explained 47.4% of the variance in burnout, indicating that burnout among early childhood teachers is more strongly influenced by stress factors arising from the ICT-based work environment than by individual characteristics.
By empirically examining the effects of ICT-based after-hours work continuity and technostress on burnout through hierarchical regression analysis, this study identified specific factors contributing to burnout in a digital work environment. The findings highlight that burnout is intensified not by the technical difficulty of ICT itself, but by perceived invasion into personal time and uncertainty caused by changes in the ICT environment. These results underscore the need for institutional and organizational management strategies that support teachers in anticipating and regulating work demands, rather than simply restricting ICT use. The findings of this study can serve as foundational data for policy and practical discussions aimed at preventing burnout among early childhood teachers in ICT-based work environments.