Student Burnout: The Pressures of Familial Obligation and Maladaptive Coping Mechanisms

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of familial obligation on burnout and also to investigate how burnout and familial obligation influence attitudes toward illicit prescription drug use. Familial obligation is defined as pressure by family members to attend college, obtain a higher education, pressure to get good grades, and stress by talking to family members about academic futures. One hundred fifty-four students from a small liberal arts university completed the following items: the Socio-Demographic form, the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey, Familial Obligation Scale, the Perceived Stress Scale, and the Drug Attitude Inventory (DAI 10). Results revealed that students who feel more pressure to do well in college and more pressure to attend college have an increased risk for burnout and also have more lenient attitudes toward the illicit use of prescription medication.