Exploring the Relationship Between Identity Distress and Burnout by Gender and Ethnicity

Burnout is a pressing matter among college students, particularly those navigating identity-related stressors and negative campus environments. This cross-sectional study examined relationships among identity distress, perceived chilly campus climate, and burnout among college students. Participants (N = 391) consisted of students from a large metropolitan university who completed measures of burnout, identity distress, and five dimensions of campus climate. Women reported significantly greater burnout than men. Identity distress was positively associated with academic burnout but perceived chilly campus climate moderated this association. These findings underscore the need to examine identity-related distress alongside campus experiences when examining burnout.