Emotional exhaustion among Bhutanese teachers of English: antecedents, effects, and emotion regulation strategies

Despite the growing focus on teachers’ affective experiences, studies examining aspects of L2 teachers’ emotional exhaustion (EE) remain scarce. To address this gap, this study investigated L2 teachers’ perceived antecedents of EE, its perceived effects, and the emotion regulation strategies they employ. Employing a qualitative design, data gathered from 44 Bhutanese teachers of English through open-ended questions and interviews were thematically analysed using an inductive approach. The findings revealed three major factors that triggered current L2 teachers’ EE: pupil-related factors, work-related factors, and institution-related factors. It was also found that EE negatively affected teachers’ professional and personal lives by reducing teaching quality, lowering job satisfaction, weakening pupil–teacher relationships, and increasing emotional vulnerability. In response to EE, teachers reported employing both antecedent-focused and response-focused strategies to regulate their emotions. The study concludes with theoretical implications and practical suggestions for institutional leaders, L2 policymakers, teacher educators, and teachers.