Emotional Exhaustion In The Digital Era Among Information Technology Students

Abstract

This study analyzed the impact of emotional exhaustion on the subjectivity of undergraduate students in Information Technology, considering the implications of the digital era on their routines, relationships, and self-perception. The objective was to investigate how emotional exhaustion influences students’ subjective and to evaluate the effects of hyperconnectivity and digital demands on their academic and personal lives. This qualitative, exploratory study was conducted with 20 IT students through an online questionnaire, following strict ethical standards. The results indicated that hyperconnectivity, academic overload, and the culture of high performance contribute to emotional exhaustion, expressed through anxiety, feelings of insufficiency, loss of meaning, and the weakened social bonds. The dissolution of boundaries between personal, academic, and professional life, combined with the pressure for constant technological updating, was found to compromise academic performance and mental health, directly affecting identity construction. It is concluded that although advances expand access to information, they impose an accelerated pace that weakens learning processes and subjective experiences. The study highlights the need for institutional practices focused on emotional support, self-care encouragement, and critical reflection on the use of digital technologies, aiming to prevent emotional exhaustion and promote healthier and more balanced academic trajectories.