Beyond burnout: Psychological vulnerability profiles in secondary school teachers

In recent years, increasing attention has been devoted to understanding teachers' psychological vulnerability from broader perspectives incorporating transdiagnostic variables. In this context, the present study aimed to identify psychological vulnerability profiles among secondary school teachers and to examine their associations with sociodemographic and professional characteristics. A sample of 444 teachers (Mage = 41.76, SD = 10.80; 50% women) was analyzed using a person-centered approach. Four distinct transdiagnostic vulnerability profiles emerged: low vulnerability, emotional–social vulnerability, cognitive vulnerability, and high overall vulnerability. The profiles differed significantly across the psychological variables, revealing clearly differentiated patterns of functioning. Significant differences were also observed across profiles in relation to age, teaching experience, gender, marital status, parenthood, and professional role. Profiles characterized by higher vulnerability were associated with lower teaching experience, a higher proportion of women, and other sociodemographic and professional characteristics. These findings indicate that psychological vulnerability among teachers is not a homogeneous construct but is organized into distinct configurations. The results contribute to a more nuanced understanding of teachers' psychological functioning by demonstrating that transdiagnostic vulnerability factors cluster into distinct and meaningful configurations rather than varying along a single continuum of risk. Furthermore, they may inform the development of preventive and support initiatives targeting common transdiagnostic processes associated with teacher vulnerability.