Thesis:

Title : The relationship between self-criticism and depression with burnout among preschool teachers in Mashhad: The mediating role of self-compassion.

The present study aimed to examine the relationship between self-criticism and depression with job burnout among preschool teachers in Mashhad, and to determine the mediating role of self-compassion in these relationships. This research was applied in purpose and descriptive-correlational in nature and method. The statistical population included all preschool teachers employed in Mashhad during the academic year 2024-2025, comprising 150 individuals. Based on the Krejcie and Morgan table, 108 participants were selected through convenience sampling. The instruments employed included the Levels of Self-Criticism Scale (LOSCS) by Thompson and Zuroff (2004), the Self-Compassion Scale by Raes et al. (2011), the Burnout Assessment Tool adapted by Rais and Xanthopoulou (2015), and the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) by Beck et al. (1996). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics as well as inferential statistics including Pearson correlation coefficients and multiple regression analysis via SPSS software. The findings indicated that self-compassion played a relative mediating role in the relationship between self-criticism and depression with job burnout; specifically, in the path from self-criticism to job burnout, a substantial difference was observed between the direct and indirect effects, thereby confirming the mediating role of self-compassion, whereas this mediating role was not confirmed in the path from depression to job burnout. At the level of sub-hypotheses, the results revealed no significant relationship between self-criticism and job burnout, leading to the rejection of this hypothesis. Moreover, no significant relationship was observed between depression and job burnout, and this hypothesis was also rejected. No significant relationship was found between self-criticism and self-compassion, resulting in the rejection of this hypothesis. Similarly, no significant relationship was observed between depression and self-compassion, and this hypothesis was rejected as well. In contrast, a significant positive relationship was found between self-compassion and job burnout.

Keywords: Self-Criticism, Depression, Job Burnout, Self-Compassion.