Academic Burnout in University Students with Specific Learning Disorders: The Mediating Role of Anxiety in the Relationship Between Burnout and Depression

Background: The number of students with Specific Learning Disorders (SLDs) in universities has recently increased. Thus, it is important to analyze their difficulties throughout their academic studies and propose adequate interventions to prevent emotional problems and dropout. Previous research has reported higher levels of internalizing problems (anxiety and depression) in students with SLDs compared to those with typical development. Surprisingly, academic burnout among students with SLDs remains a largely overlooked and underresearched issue. The present work is one of the first studies that seeks to address this critical gap by examining the levels of academic burnout, and exploring its relationship with depression and anxiety in university students both with and without SLDs. Methods: The sample included 120 university students (M = 42, F = 78; mean age = 21.16, SD = 2.26). Of these, 60 students had SLDs and 60 had typical development (TD). Students were asked to complete three questionnaires assessing burnout (BAT-C), depression (BDI-II), and anxiety (STAI-Y). Results: The comparison between groups revealed that students with SLDs reported significantly higher levels of total burnout (mean difference = −3.98, t[118] = −2.59, p = 0.011, d = 0.47) and trait anxiety (mean difference = −2.87, t[118] = −2.73, p = 0.007, d = 0.50), with a moderate effect size for both differences. They also exhibited greater cognitive impairment related to burnout (U = 2333.50, p = 0.006, r = 0.25). No group differences were found in depression. Path analyses showed that while trait anxiety mediated the burnout–depression link in both groups, state anxiety was a significant mediator only for students with SLDs (β = 0.22, p = 0.025). Conclusions: The findings provide new evidence of the importance of monitoring academic burnout and anxiety in students with SLDs. The results show that anxiety plays a crucial mediating role between burnout and depression in students with SLDs, reinforcing the need for specific psychological support programs in universities.