Instruments de mesure et voies thérapeutiques du burn-out : la responsabilité sociale court-circuitée

Abstract

Alors qu’il est demeuré jusqu’aux années 1980 le propre des milieux professionnels axés sur le relationnel et le soin, on considère aujourd’hui que le burn-out peut toucher l’ensemble des travailleurs, quel que soit le contenu de leur activité productive. Comment rendre compte de l’importance du retentissement que connaît cette pathologie aujourd’hui? L’objectif du présent article est double. À partir de l’étude de trois de ces principaux instruments de mesure — modèle de Maslach et Jackson, modèle de Siegrist et modèle de Karasek —, il s’agira d’abord de mettre en lumière à quel point les facteurs psychosociaux mobilisés par ces modèles pour appréhender le burn-out et en estimer la prévalence, loin de représenter des besoins psychologiques fondamentaux, sont davantage le reflet des injonctions et contraintes qui caractérisent l’expérience du travail contemporain. De même, alors que ces facteurs psychosociaux ne sauraient être du seul ressort de l’individu, l’article cherchera à montrer que les interventions pratiquées auprès des personnes « à risque » ou « en processus » de burn-out s’en tiennent la plupart du temps au seul périmètre de la psychologie et de la responsabilité individuelles.Even though until the 1980s it was considered to be exclusive to professions related to health and relational care, today it is thought that burn-out can impact all workers, no matter their function or productive activity. How do we measure the important repercussions of this pathology today? This article has two main objectives. First, initiating from research of three of the principal models of measurement — Maslach and Jackson’s model, Siegrist’s model and Karasek’s model — it becomes essential to focus upon how the psychosocial factors which are used to determine burn-out and its prevalence, far from representing fundamental psychological needs, are rather the reflection of the injunctions and constraints characterized by the contemporary work experience. Secondly, considering that these psychosocial factors are not the sole province of the individual, the article will attempt to demonstrate that the practical interventions with “at risk” or “within” burn-out subjects are, for the most part, held at the perimeter of the psychology and responsibility of the individual

How do exhausted parents experience their interactions with their children? A qualitative and participative study

“…In this respect, we could consider that the multiplicity of symptoms and effects associated with PBO, as Kirouac ( 28 ) has highlighted for burnout at work, may lead to a rather vague definition and symptomatology, presenting general realities that are not exclusive to PBO (e.g., relationship problems, tensions, withdrawal, etc.). This ‘vagueness’ makes it difficult to distinguish between those who suffer from it and those who do not and leads to skepticism about its existence as a syndrome, and even suspicion of those who claim to suffer from it ( 28 ). In the same vein, it should be remembered that the participants in our research who felt the greatest suffering were those for whom this ‘vagueness’ was all the greater because they could not clearly identify any causes, such as a child’s illness for instance.…”

“…The discrepancy between the scores obtained with the PBA scale and the experience reported by the participants demonstrates some restrictions in a measurement tool used to diagnose PBO. Kirouac ( 28 ), speaking of the psychometric tools used to diagnose professional burnout, notes that they fail to identify the psychological needs of the individual and are more a reflection of the expectations and constraints that characterize the experience of contemporary work. When it comes to family dynamics, standardized measurement tools may be insufficient because the situation being studied is too complex ( 28 ).…”

“…Kirouac ( 28 ), speaking of the psychometric tools used to diagnose professional burnout, notes that they fail to identify the psychological needs of the individual and are more a reflection of the expectations and constraints that characterize the experience of contemporary work. When it comes to family dynamics, standardized measurement tools may be insufficient because the situation being studied is too complex ( 28 ). Position on professional burnout seems therefore fully transferable to PBO: the essential thing is to take it seriously as a social phenomenon that reveals contemporary attitudes to parenting – namely that some parents associate suffering with it.…”