Shifting of attentional set is inadequate in severe burnout: Evidence from an event-related potential study

Abstract

Individuals with prolonged occupational stress often report difficulties in concentration. Work tasks often require the ability to switch back and forth between different contexts. Here, we studied the association between job burnout and task switching by recording event-related potentials (ERPs) time-locked to stimulus onset during a task with simultaneous cue-target presentation and unpredictable switches in the task. Participants were currently working people with severe, mild, or no burnout symptoms. In all groups, task performance was substantially slower immediately after task switch than during task repetition. However, the error rates were higher in the severe burnout group than in the mild burnout and control groups. Electrophysiological data revealed an increased parietal P3 response for the switch trials relative to repetition trials. Notably, the response was smaller in amplitude in the severe burnout group than in the other groups. The results suggest that severe burnout is associated with inadequate processing when rapid shifting of attention between tasks is required resulting in less accurate performance.

Self‐reported cognitive difficulties and cognitive functioning in relation to emotional exhaustion: Evidence from two studies

“…However, as pointed out by the review's authors, not controlling for confounding variables, for example depression, may have led to an overestimation of the effects. Conversely, some other studies have found either no significant association of burnout with cognitive functioning (Castaneda et al, 2011;McInerney, Rowan, & Lawlor, 2012) or the signs of cognitive impairment were found only for groups displaying severe burnout symptoms (Oosterholt, Maes, Van Der Linden, Verbraak, & Kompier, 2014;Sokka et al, 2017). These inconsistencies in the literature regarding the link between burnout and objective cognitive functioning warrants further research.…”

Cognitive functioning, sleep quality, and work performance in non-clinical burnout: The role of working memory

“…Results from recent physiological and brain-imaging studies into non-clinical burnout are in line with these findings of the involvement of prefrontal cognitive functions. EEG studies indicate impairment in executive functioning in non-clinical burnout (reduced amplitude of the P300), for example, in attention shifting [22,23] and in response inhibition [24]. Clinically, people with such an impairment may be more easily distracted.…”

Cognitive Impairments in Occupational Burnout – Error Processing and Its Indices of Reactive and Proactive Control

“…Despite the fact that burnout has well-documented effects on psychophysical states, a limited number of studies have examined its influence on specific cognitive functions (e.g., van der Linden et al, 2005; Schmidt et al, 2007; Castaneda et al, 2011; Oosterholt et al, 2012, 2014; Deligkaris et al, 2014; Sokka et al, 2014, 2017; Giorgi et al, 2016). Regarding the broader context of the current economic situation (Mucci et al, 2016), the dynamics of workplace changes (Rachiotis et al, 2014; Giorgi et al, 2015), and the prevalence of work-related stress and burnout problems, it is particularly important to study its impact on mental health, well-being and individual functioning.…”