The profession of social pedagogy is one of the most emotionally demanding fields. These specialists often face high workloads and emotional stress. Professional burnout is a syndrome characterized by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and a reduced sense of personal accomplishment. This phenomenon is particularly relevant for social pedagogues, whose work involves direct interaction with children, families, and the community. The aim of this study is to assess whether significant changes have occurred in the context of social pedagogues' professional burnout over the past five years.

A quantitative research method was applied, utilizing the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), which evaluates three main components: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment. The study sample consisted of 200 social pedagogues, with 100 surveyed in 2019 and another 100 in 2024. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and an independent samples T-test to determine whether the differences in mean scores between the study groups were statistically significant.

The research findings revealed that over the past five years, the levels of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment among social pedagogues have not changed significantly in a statistical sense. Although larger variations were expected in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and educational reforms, the obtained data indicate a stability in emotional well-being. This could be attributed to social pedagogues' ability to adapt to changing work conditions or to the strategies implemented by institutions to support emotional well-being. The level of burnout among social pedagogues remained at a moderate level both in 2019 and 2024.

Future research could focus on a more detailed analysis of social pedagogues' emotional resilience, the factors influencing professional burnout, and possible preventive measures to mitigate burnout risks. Additionally, it would be valuable to explore which individual and organizational resources contribute to sustaining emotional well-being in the long term.

Keywords: Social pedagogy, professional burnout, emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, personal accomplishment, Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), quantitative research, emotional well-being.