How to conduct research on burnout: advantages and disadvantages of a unidimensional approach in burnout research

Abstract

When conducting research on burnout, it may be difficult to decide whether one should report results separately for each burnout dimension or whether one should combine the dimensions. Although the multidimensionality of the burnout concept is widely acknowledged, for research purposes it is sometimes convenient to regard burnout as a unidimensional construct. This article deals with the question of whether and when it may be appropriate to treat burnout as a unidimensional variable, and presents a decision rule to distinguish between people high and low in burnout. To develop a guideline for obtaining a dichotomous measure of burnout, the scores on the Utrecht Burnout Scale (UBOS) of 44 well functioning individuals were compared with the scores of 29 individuals diagnosed as suffering from burnout. Based on these data, the authors recommend the “exhaustion + 1” criterion for research in non-clinical populations. Following this criterion, individuals can be considered as burnt out when they report, compared to a norm group, high emotional exhaustion, in combination with high depersonalisation or low personal accomplishment. The criterion may be used to estimate the percentage in a sample of individuals in a state of burnout.

Occupational Burnout and Severe Injuries: An Eight‐year Prospective Cohort Study among Finnish Forest Industry Workers

“…We also categorized burnout according to the approximate frequency of the symptoms. We preferred this way, which has revealed a significant relationship with several health-related associates of burnout 4,38,44) , to the alternative ways of categorizing burnout, for example, on the basis of the relative distribution of burnout symptoms in a population 45) . We used all injuries as the outcome, not only those that occurred in the work context.…”

Burned out cognition – cognitive functioning of burnout patients before and after a period with psychological treatment

“…The individuals with burnout who were on sick leave during the first and/or second testing session were instructed to fill in the items of the Utrechtse Burnout Scale questionnaire according to how they would feel if they were working at that moment. For practical research purposes, Brenninkmeijer & Van Yperen (33) proposed that individuals can be classified high in burnout when they have a high score (>2.19) on emotional exhaustion and a high score (>1.99) on depersonalization or a low score on personal accomplishment (<3.67). Measured with Cronbach's alpha, the internal consistencies of the subscales were respectively, 0.88, 0.69, and 0.83.…”

Effects of work burden, job strain and support on depressive symptoms and burnout among Japanese physicians

“…The cut-offs of exhaustion, depersonalization and professional efficacy were 4.2, 2.4, and 2.5, respectively, and the upper tertiles of exhaustion and depersonalization and the lower tertile of professional efficacy were defined as subscale positives. Then, on the basis of the common burnout process indicating that exhaustion comes first, followed by depersonalization and diminished professional efficacy, the participants having at least exhaustion positive and having either depersonalization positive or professional efficacy positive were defined as burnout positive [34,35]. …”