A dynamic, interactive model of stress and burnout among teachers of behaviorally disordered students is proposed. The model postulates that burnout may result from a discrepancy between these teachers' expectations and the school experience. Stress and burnout are portrayed along a continuum of positive to negative interactions between the teachers and job-related factors. A mismatch between expectations and the perceived reality of the job can lead to a repeated cycle of unsatisfactory school experiences, unpleasant feelings, behavioral manifestations of those feelings, and the negative reactions of others.
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