Relationship among academic engagement, burnout and student perceptions of curriculum delivery in Speech and Language Therapy Students from University of Concepcion, Chile.

OBJECTIVE To relate engagement and academic burnout with curriculum evaluation among speech therapy students. METHODS This observational, cross-sectional study was conducted at the end of the first academic semester for each level and at the end of a theoretical class in order to ensure the maximum participation rate at the University of Concepción, Concepción, Chile, and comprised students of a speech and language therapy programme.Curriculum evaluation scale, academic engagement and academic burnout questionnaires were used. STATA SE 11 was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS Of the 200 participants, 157(78.50%) were women and 43(21.50%) men. The overall mean age was 20.81±2.15 years (range: 18-30 years). Emotional burnout was inversely correlated with the evaluation of teaching and evaluation methods, distribution of fields, teaching team and achievement of objectives (p<0.05 each). Depersonalisation was inversely associated with the distribution of teaching and learning activities (r=-0.13; p<0.05). Lack of personal accomplishment was also significantly and statistically associated with seven out of the eight factors of the curriculum evaluation scale (p<0.05 each). Involvement in studies was statistically and significantly related to all factors (p<0.05 each), except the achievement of objectives. Finally, satisfaction with studies was directly, statistically and significantly related to six of the eight factors (p<0.05 each). CONCLUSIONS A more positive evaluation of the academic curriculum was associated with lower levels of burnout and higher levels of academic engagement.