Exploring the Relationship Between Academic Burnout and CET-4 Performance among Chinese Undergraduates

Abstract

This study investigates the relationship between academic burnout and College English Test Band 4 (CET-4) performance among Chinese university students, addressing growing concerns regarding student mental health and its impact on academic outcomes. The Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey (MBI-SS) was utilized to examine the correlation between three burnout dimensions (emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and reduced academic efficacy) and mock CET-4 scores. A quantitative research design was employed with 168 sophomore students from a Chinese university. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent samples t-tests, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression analysis. Results revealed that all three burnout dimensions were significantly and negatively correlated with mock CET-4 performance. The regression model explained 30.8% of the variance in mock CET-4 performance (R² = .308, p < .001), with reduced academic efficacy emerging as the strongest predictor (β = -.500, p < .001). No significant gender differences were found in burnout levels or English achievement. These findings suggest that students with lower self-perceived academic capability tend to achieve poorer results on standardized English tests. Universities should implement early burnout detection mechanisms and provide psychological support services to enhance both student well-being and language learning outcomes, thereby contributing to sustainable development in higher education.