School Burnout, Victimization at School, and Attitudes towards School Uniforms in Kenya

Abstract

Aim: The aim of the study was to investigate school burnout, victimization from physical punishment by a teacher, victimization from peer aggression, and attitudes towards school uniforms among students in Kenya. Method: A questionnaire was completed by 94 girls and 81 boys living in Kenya. The age range was between 15 and 19 years. The mean age was 16.5 years (SD = 0.9) for girls, and 16.4 (SD = 1.0) for boys. Results: School burnout correlated positively with victimization from both peer aggression and physical punishment by a teacher. For both girls and boys, the highest correlations were found between victimization from peer aggression and victimization from physical punishment by a teacher. Girls are more significantly victimized from physical punishment by a teacher, and also more victimized from peer aggression at school. No sex differences were found for school burnout or for a positive attitude towards school uniforms. A positive attitude towards school uniforms did not correlate with any of the other variables. For both girls and boys, age correlated positively with a positive attitude against school uniforms, but not with any of the other variables. Conclusions: Victimization from peer aggression and victimization from physical punishment by a teacher were associated with school burnout. Further studies about school burnout and its associations are encouraged.