In this cross-sectional study, data were collected from 841 Italian health care .... Means, standard deviations, Min and Max values for all variables (N = 826).
BURNOUT AMONG NURSES AND OTHER HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS Saulo Sirigatti & Cristina Stefanile Department of Psychology – Section of Health Psychology University of Florence (Italy)
Burnout, as defined by Maslach (1982), is “a syndrome of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment that can occur among individuals who do ‘people-work’ of some kind” (p. 3). A cardinal aspect of the burnout syndrome is an increased feeling of Emotional Exhaustion: as their emotional resources are depleted, workers feel they are no longer able to give of themselves at a psychological level. Another facet is the development of negative, cynical attitudes and feelings about one’s clients (Depersonalization). A third aspect of the burnout syndrome is the inclination to evaluate oneself negatively, particularly with regard to one’s work with clients (reduced Personal accomplishment). Workers feel unhappy about themselves and dissatisfied with their accomplishments on the job (Maslach & Jackson, 1981a). At the beginning research on burnout has often examined only the role of environmental factors in this syndrome. The interest in investigating connections between burnout and personality dimensions is more recent, as well as the attempts to establish a theoretical model of burnout (Byrne, 1994). Notwithstanding much empirical research trying to link the construct of burnout to other variables, findings have not been a particularly encouraging.
Sirigatti & Stefanile
EHPS-Vienna '98
1
Perhaps the first systematic survey conducted in Italy on some possible psychological correlates of burnout – measured using a questionnaire rather similar to the MBI – involved more than 1,200 students who attended specific nursing schools in Tuscany (Sirigatti, Menoni, & Stefanile, 1988; Sirigatti & Stefanile, 1988; Sirigatti, Stefanile, & Menoni, 1988a). The use, among other instruments, of the personality questionnaire of Cattell 16 PF (Form D) and the use of multivariate analysis showed moderate correlations between the different aspects of burnout and the psychological characteristics of these students. The aim of this study is to investigate burnout in an overall picture, which includes personal dimensions, environmental factors and attitudes towards work. Therefore, taking into account the suggestions from previous studies (Cherniss, 1980; Farber, 1983; Jones, 1981; Maslach, 1982; Richardsen, Burke, & Leiter, 1992; Sirigatti & Stefanile, 1993a, etc.), several variables were taken into consideration in the effort to assess their impact on burnout.
METHOD
Participants In this cross-sectional study, data were collected from 841 Italian health care professionals, mainly nurses, physicians, and psychologist; the 45% was married, and the 60% had no children. Respondents completed a questionnaire during normal work hours; the participation in the study was voluntary, and confidentiality was assured.
Breakdown of Demographic Data Gender
%
Age
%
Males
29
20-29 yrs.
50
