Chronic job burnout and daily functioning: A theoretical analysis

Occupational burnout in nuclear medicine technologists working in Australia and New Zealand - results of a multi-national survey

INTRODUCTION

Occupational burnout can be associated with negative feelings about the workplace and feeling that a person's efforts are of little consequence. Within a healthcare setting, occupational burnout can be attributed to a high workload or a non-supportive work environment. Higher levels of burnout are associated with increased absenteeism and turnover, increased medical errors and decreased patient care. The aim of this study was to investigate the levels of occupational burnout within nuclear medicine technologists (NMTs) working in Australia and New Zealand.

METHODS

An online questionnaire was distributed via QuestionPro. The questionnaire consisted of four sections, including the Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQOL) Version 5 (2009) measuring compassion satisfaction, burnout and secondary traumatic stress in the workplace. For this study, only the burnout component of this scale is reported.

RESULTS

There were 162 survey responses. Of the 18 New Zealand participants, 10 (56%) reported moderate levels of burnout. Of the 144 Australian participants, 114 (79%) reported moderate levels of burnout. No NMTs reported high levels of burnout. All states of Australia were represented in the survey, with Queensland, Western Australia and Victoria having the highest number of participants reporting moderate levels of burnout.

CONCLUSION

This study revealed that more than half of New Zealand participants and three quarters of Australian participants reported moderate levels of burnout. It is imperative to address the wellbeing needs of NMTs working in Australia and New Zealand at an individual and organisational level to support NMTs to be more engaged in their work and help organisations retain staff.

Burnout, stress, and their correlates among bank employees of South India: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

The banking sector is one of the job sectors that experience high stress, workload, complex interpersonal relationships, and job burnout as it involves interaction with the public and financial responsibilities, which leads to high burnout and stress. The present study was conducted to assess the prevalence of burnout and stress among bank employees and to find the associated factors.

METHODS

This cross-sectional survey was conducted among 282 bank employees of Kollam district, Kerala, India. Data was collected using a self-administered questionnaire related to the socio-demographic and professional details. We used the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory (OLBI) to screen for burnout levels. Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS 21) to screen for the levels of depression, anxiety, and stress among study participants. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data, and logistic regression was used to identify the factors associated with the levels of burnout and stress.

RESULTS

Of 282 study participants, moderate to high levels of burnout were observed in 232 participants (82.2%), and 74 participants (26.2%) had mild to extremely severe levels of stress. Daily average working duration showed an association with higher levels of burnout (adjusted odds ratio [ORAdj]: 2.391; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.12-5.10) and stress (ORAdj: 3.37; 95% CI: 1.58-7.16).

CONCLUSIONS

A high prevalence of burnout and stress was observed in the present study. The duration of working hours was associated with both burnout and stress. Therefore, regulating the working hours may help adequately manage stress and burnout, thereby improving the mental health of bank employees.

Mental issues, internet addiction and quality of life predict burnout among Hungarian teachers: a machine learning analysis

BACKGROUND

Burnout is usually defined as a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion that affects people in various professions (e.g. physicians, nurses, teachers). The consequences of burnout involve decreased motivation, productivity, and overall diminished well-being. The machine learning-based prediction of burnout has therefore become the focus of recent research. In this study, the aim was to detect burnout using machine learning and to identify its most important predictors in a sample of Hungarian high-school teachers.

METHODS

The final sample consisted of 1,576 high-school teachers (522 male), who completed a survey including various sociodemographic and health-related questions and psychological questionnaires. Specifically, depression, insomnia, internet habits (e.g. when and why one uses the internet) and problematic internet usage were among the most important predictors tested in this study. Supervised classification algorithms were trained to detect burnout assessed by two well-known burnout questionnaires. Feature selection was conducted using recursive feature elimination. Hyperparameters were tuned via grid search with 10-fold cross-validation. Due to class imbalance, class weights (i.e. cost-sensitive learning), downsampling and a hybrid method (SMOTE-ENN) were applied in separate analyses. The final model evaluation was carried out on a previously unseen holdout test sample.

RESULTS

Burnout was detected in 19.7% of the teachers included in the final dataset. The best predictive performance on the holdout test sample was achieved by random forest with class weigths (AUC = 0.811; balanced accuracy = 0.745, sensitivity = 0.765; specificity = 0.726). The best predictors of burnout were Beck's Depression Inventory scores, Athen's Insomnia Scale scores, subscales of the Problematic Internet Use Questionnaire and self-reported current health status.

CONCLUSIONS

The performances of the algorithms were comparable with previous studies; however, it is important to note that we tested our models on previously unseen holdout samples suggesting higher levels of generalizability. Another remarkable finding is that besides depression and insomnia, other variables such as problematic internet use and time spent online also turned out to be important predictors of burnout.

Burnout and Attention Failure in STEM: The Role of Self-Control and the Buffer of Mindfulness

Drawing on self-regulatory strength models of self-control, this research examined the relationship between burnout and attentional processes for STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) students. Using data from participants in STEM, burnout was found to be associated with higher levels of off-task thinking, also known as mind-wandering. Further, self-control acted as a mediator in the relationship between burnout and mind-wandering such that higher levels of burnout predicted poor self-control that subsequently increased the mind's tendency to wander. Additionally, mindfulness buffered the relationship between burnout and mind-wandering such that burnout had the most detrimental impact on attention for those students who were low in mindfulness. Using the Johnson-Neyman approach, results reveal the upper limits for the moderating impact of mindfulness. Results and implications for science and practice are discussed with a special grounding for students in the STEM context.

Evaluation of two study demands-resources-based interventions: a randomized controlled trial

Introduction

Higher education students experience significant levels of exhaustion in their studies, yet there are limited evidence-based support programs available. Therefore, this study evaluated a novel intervention approach by testing the effectiveness of two online interventions based on the study demands-resources framework. These interventions aimed to balance demands and resources. Derived from the theoretical assumptions of the framework, we hypothesized that the interventions would increase study and personal resources, engagement, and study crafting, and decrease study demands, exhaustion, and self-undermining. Additionally, we hypothesized that demands and resources would mediate the effects of the intervention on engagement, exhaustion, study crafting, and self-undermining.

Methods

Conducted as a randomized controlled trial with a waitlist control group (n = 71), the study involved participants in two intervention groups who engaged with the interventions for 2 weeks. Intervention group 1 (n = 64) focused on adapting demands, while intervention group 2 (n = 70) focused on increasing resources. The design allowed for a comparison of the effectiveness of these different approaches. Participants completed questionnaires before and after the intervention, and at a 5-week follow-up.

Results

Results of the analyses of variance with repeated measures revealed that the interventions had significant positive effects on the personal resource mindfulness, two study crafting strategies, self-undermining, and exhaustion. Notably, intervention group 2 exhibited more positive outcomes. The hypothesized mediation effects through mindfulness were partially supported.

Discussion

The study demonstrates the considerable potential of interventions based on the study demands-resources framework for higher education institutions in supporting student well-being.

Improving the professionalization level of a new generation of construction workers to reduce their unsafe behaviour: an empirical study in China

Objectives. Improvement of the professionalization level for the new generation of construction workers (NGCWs) is critical to upgrade the construction industry. It also provides a new approach to reduce their unsafe behaviour. The purpose of this study is to analyse the correction mechanism of the professionalization level on NGCWs' unsafe behaviour. We examined the mediating role of work-family conflict and job burnout on impacting NGCWs' unsafe behaviour. The moderation effect of the NGCWs' perceived organizational support was also examined. Methods. The cross-sectional study was conducted based on structural equation modelling, confirmatory factor analysis and regression analysis with a sample of 496 NGCWs in China. Results. The professionalization level can effectively correct NGCWs' unsafe behaviour. Job burnout can independently mediate the relationship between professionalization level and unsafe behaviour and act as a serial mediator for work-family conflict. Moreover, the high level of perceived organizational support will effectively suppress the effect of work-family conflict on job burnout. Conclusions. Improving the professionalization level is an effective way to correct NGCWs' unsafe behaviour. Moreover, management should help the NGCWs balance work and family, to alleviate burnout. Additionally, it is suggested that management should ensure the NGCWs perceive the organizational support.

Mediating roles of meaning in life and psychological flexibility in the relationships between occupational stress and job satisfaction, job performance, and psychological distress in teachers

Employees may experience stress in the workplace for various reasons. Psychological strengths may help them to cope with emerging challenges and foster mental health and work productivity. This study examined the mediating roles of meaning in life and psychological flexibility in the relationships between perceived occupational stress and job satisfaction, job performance and psychological distress. This cross-section study included 554 teachers (56.0% males; Mage = 36.99 ± 7.88 years) at all school levels in Türkiye. The research data was collected through a convenience sampling method using an online survey. Participants completed self-report measures of meaning in life, psychological flexibility, perceived occupational stress, job satisfaction, job performance, and psychological distress. Pearson product-moment correlation and parallel mediation model using PROCESS macro (Model 4) were utilized to analyze the data. The results showed that perceived occupational stress had a significant effect on meaning in life, psychological flexibility, job satisfaction, job performance, and psychological distress. Also, meaning in life and psychological flexibility had significant effects on job satisfaction, job performance, and psychological distress. Furthermore, meaning in life and psychological flexibility partially mediated the relationships between occupational stress and job satisfaction, job performance, and psychological distress. These findings highlight the significance of considering meaning in life and psychological flexibility as crucial factors in mitigating the impact of occupational stress on employee mental health and work productivity. By focusing on enhancing employees' sense of meaning and their ability to adapt flexibly to workplace challenges, organizations can potentially create a better environment that fosters positive outcomes for both employees and the organization. However, the impact of occupational stress on job performance, job satisfaction and psychological distress may change over time. To address this concern, future research should test the model through a longitudinal study design.

Are student engagement and disaffection important for teacher well-being? A longitudinal examination of between- and within-person effects

Although a lot is known about how teachers influence student motivation, evidence on the importance of student engagement for teacher well-being is lacking. In addition, studies investigating the effects of student behavior on teachers have mostly focused on the between-person perspective while neglecting the within-person processes. Thus, in the present study, we examined longitudinal associations between perceived student behavioral and emotional engagement and disaffection and teacher well-being (i.e., job satisfaction and emotional exhaustion) by acknowledging their fluctuating nature and investigating the associations at both the between- and within-person levels. Specifically, we conducted a full-panel four-wave longitudinal study involving 1141 secondary school teachers and employed a random-intercept cross lagged panel modeling approach to analyze the data. At the between-person level, teachers who perceived their students as being more emotionally and behaviorally engaged, but less emotionally and behaviorally disaffected, tended to have higher levels of job satisfaction and lower levels of emotional exhaustion. At the within-person level, higher than usual levels of student emotional engagement were concurrently associated with higher than usual levels of job satisfaction and lower than usual levels of emotional exhaustion, whereas the associations concerning disaffection showed the opposite pattern. Regarding the longitudinal spill-over effects at the within-person level, behavioral and emotional engagement positively predicted job satisfaction whereas behavioral disaffection negatively predicted job satisfaction and positively predicted emotional exhaustion. Our results highlight the importance of student motivation for shaping teacher occupational well-being and indicate that efforts aimed at increasing student motivation could also be beneficial to teachers.

The Role of Personal Demands and Personal Resources in Enhancing Study Engagement and Preventing Study Burnout

Using a 1-year longitudinal design, we examined the role of personal demands and personal resources in long-term health impairment and motivational processes among master students. Based on the job demands-resources theory and transactional model of stress, we hypothesized that students' personal demands (i.e., irrational performance demands, awfulizing and irrational need for control) predict perceived study demands one year later, and indirectly relate to burnout. Furthermore, we predicted that personal resources indirectly associate with study engagement via students' perceived study resources one year later. These hypotheses were tested in a sample of Dutch master students (N = 220 at T1 and T2) using structural equation modelling. As hypothesized, personal demands and personal resources at T1 predicted study demands and study resources one year later (T2, β = .25-.42, p <. 05), respectively. Study-home interference [study demand] mediated the association between personal demands and burnout (β = .08, p = .029), whereas opportunities for development [study resource] mediated the association between personal resources and study engagement (β = .08, p = .014). Hence, personal demands and personal resources relate indirectly to students' burnout and engagement one year later via a heightened level of specific study demands and study resources. Accordingly, the present research expands the propositions of the JD-R Theory by proposing personal demands as a relevant factor for students' long-term well-being.

Stressors and coping strategies among secondary school male students in Abha City, Saudi Arabia

Background

Stress is a biological process in which exposure to stressors is associated with bad health effects, decreased ability of disease management, and a higher likelihood for disease-related complications and comorbidities. Stress has been considered the main factor in the etiology of many diseases such as diabetes mellitus, cardiac diseases, and body aches for centuries. Students meet many stressful situations such as the need for success, academic demands, homesickness, and lack of social support. Coping with stress can be a leading cause in preventing psychological distress and a serious illness.

Methods

A correlational cross-sectional approach was applied to the current research. The research targeted all secondary school male students in Abha city. A multistage cluster sample was applied by selecting schools and students from the Directorate of Education in Abha. Self-administered questionnaire sheets were distributed to students in their classes. The questionnaire covered students' sociodemographic data such as age, grades, parents' education and work, living conditions, and comorbidities. Stressors to which the students were exposed were also enumerated with the degree of stress for each. Stress was assessed using the Holmes-Rahe Stress Inventory for youth. Coping skills were measured using the abbreviated version of the COPE Inventory.

Results

The study included 324 students whose ages ranged from 15 to 20 years old with a mean age of 17 ± 0.9 years old. Approximately 33% of the students were in first grade; 44.4% of the students had no or minimal level of stress while major stress was recorded among 26.5% of the students. In total, 77.8% of the students had moderate coping and none had high coping ability.

Conclusion

The study revealed that more than half of the students had significant levels of stress and one out of each four had major stress. The most common stressors were due to the school environment and future planning. Young age, low socioeconomic status, parents' separation, and having chronic health problems were the most important determinants of stress among the students.

Psychological well-being of hospice staff: systematic review

BACKGROUND

Poor psychological well-being among healthcare staff has implications for staff sickness and absence rates, and impacts on the quality, cost and safety of patient care. Although numerous studies have explored the well-being of hospice staff, study findings vary and the evidence has not yet been reviewed and synthesised. Using job demands-resources (JD-R) theory, this review aimed to investigate what factors are associated with the well-being of hospice staff.

METHODS

We searched MEDLINE, CINAHL and PsycINFO for peer-reviewed quantitative, qualitative or mixed-methods studies focused on understanding what contributes to the well-being of hospice staff who provide care to patients (adults and children). The date of the last search was 11 March 2022. Studies were published from 2000 onwards in the English language and conducted in Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries. Study quality was assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. Data synthesis was conducted using a result-based convergent design, which involved an iterative, thematic approach of collating data into distinct factors and mapping these to the JD-R theory.

RESULTS

A total of 4016 unique records were screened by title and abstract, 115 full-text articles were retrieved and reviewed and 27 articles describing 23 studies were included in the review. The majority of the evidence came from studies of staff working with adult patients. Twenty-seven individual factors were identified in the included studies. There is a strong and moderate evidence that 21 of the 27 identified factors can influence hospice staff well-being. These 21 factors can be grouped into three categories: (1) those that are specific to the hospice environment and role, such as the complexity and diversity of the hospice role; (2) those that have been found to be associated with well-being in other similar settings, such as relationships with patients and their families; and (3) those that affect workers regardless of their role and work environment, that is, that are not unique to working in a healthcare role, such as workload and working relationships. There was strong evidence that neither staff demographic characteristics nor education level can influence well-being.

DISCUSSION

The factors identified in this review highlight the importance of assessing both positive and negative domains of experience to determine coping interventions. Hospice organisations should aim to offer a wide range of interventions to ensure their staff have access to something that works for them. These should involve continuing or commencing initiatives to protect the factors that make hospices good environments in which to work, as well as recognising that hospice staff are also subject to many of the same factors that affect psychological well-being in all work environments. Only two studies included in the review were set in children's hospices, suggesting that more research is needed in these settings.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42019136721 (Deviations from the protocol are noted in Table 8, Supplementary material).

Prevalence and predictors of burnout among nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic: A survey in teaching hospitals

BACKGROUND

Occupational burnout is one of the most important consequences of the coronavirus disease pandemic, associated with psychological well-being, quality of care, and intention to leave the nursing profession. This is a major health problem with serious adverse consequences not only for nurses but also for patients and healthcare systems.

OBJECTIVE

To assess burnout and its associated factors in nurses who worked in teaching hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic in Iran.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted on nurses of two COVID-19 referral hospitals in Tehran, Iran. Data were collected using the sociodemographic form and Maslach burnout inventory-human service survey (MBI-HSS) questionnaire. Data were evaluated using SPSS software version 26.

RESULTS

A total of 264 participants, 52.7% (n = 139) were males and the mean of them age was 34.41±9.71 years. Almost 50% of nurses experienced burnout, in each dimension. Emotional exhaustion was associated significantly with job retention intention (P = 0.01) and depersonalization was significantly associated with gender (P = 0.02), age (P = 0.01), educational level (P = 0.004), work shifts (P = 0.006), and job retention intention (P = 0.02). In addition, personal accomplishment score was significantly associated with age (P = 0.002), marital status (P = 0.03), educational level (P = 0.03), work shift (P = 0.04) and job retention intention (P = 0.01).

CONCLUSION

The burnout rate in the COVID-19 era is high among nurses associated with improper care. Psychosocial support is needed to improve mental well-being among health care workers during unpredictable conditions like pandemics.

Risk of burnout, psychological growth, longevity of career and making sense of Covid-19 in senior Australian radiation oncologists

INTRODUCTION

Senior radiation oncologists in hospital/organisational settings, are repetitively and vicariously exposed to others' traumatic distress-perpetuating risk of burnout. Little is known of the additional organisational burdens of the Covid-19 pandemic on their mental well-being for career longevity.

METHODS

Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, semi-structured interviews provided positive and negative subjective interpreted data from five senior Australian radiation oncologists during Covid-19 lockdowns.

RESULTS

One superordinate theme, Vicarious risk, hierarchical invalidation, redefining altruistic authenticity, overarched four subordinate themes: (1) Vicarious contamination of caring, (2) The hierarchical squeeze, (3) The heavy burden of me and (4) Growth of authenticity. For these participants, juxtaposed challenges to career longevity and mental well-being were 'self' as empathic carer to vulnerable patients, and ever-increasing burdens of the organisation. Sensing invalidation, they experienced periods of exhaustion and disengagement. However, with experience and seniority, self-care was prioritised and nurtured through intrapersonal honesty, altruism and relational connectedness with patients and mentoring forward junior colleagues. Focusing on mutual well-being, a sense of life beyond radiation oncology became acceptable.

CONCLUSIONS

For these participants, self-care became a relational joining with their patients separate from the lack of systemic support which heralded an early termination to their career for psychological well-being and authenticity.

Work-related resources and demands predicting the psychological well-being of staff in children's hospices

OBJECTIVES

This study assessed the work-related resources and demands experienced by children's hospice staff to help identify staff support systems and organizational practices that offer the most potential to prevent staff burnout and enhance well-being at work.

METHODS

The relationships between individual and organizational characteristics, work-related resources and demands, and burnout and work engagement outcomes experienced by children's hospice staff were explored using two surveys: the Children's Hospice Staff survey, completed by UK children's hospice staff, and the Children's Hospice Organisation and Management survey, completed by the Heads of Care. We used structural equation modeling to assess the relationships between the variables derived from the survey measures and to test a model underpinned by the Job Demands-Resource (JD-R) theory.

RESULTS

There were 583 staff responses from 32 hospices, and 414 participants provided valid data for burnout and work engagement outcome measures. Most participants were females (95.4%), aged 51-65 years old (31.3%), and had more than 15 years of experience in life-limiting conditions (29.7%). The average score for burnout was 32.5 (SD: 13.1), and the average score for work engagement was 7.5 (SD: 1.5). The structural model validity showed good fit. Demands significantly predicted burnout (b = 4.65, p ≤ 0.001), and resources predicted work engagement (b = 3.09, p ≤ 0.001). The interaction between resources and demands only predicted work engagement (b = -0.31, p = 0.115). Burnout did not predict work engagement (b = -0.09, p = 0.194).

SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS

The results partly supported the JD-R model, with a clear association between resources and work engagement, even when the demands were considered. Demands were only directly associated with burnout. The findings also identified a set of the most relevant aspects related to resources and demands, which can be used to assess and improve staff psychological well-being in children's hospices in the UK.

Affective work rumination as a mediator of the reciprocal relationships between job demands and exhaustion

High levels of job demands are considered as the main predictor for teachers' exhaustion, but longitudinal studies of the causal effects are few. Recently it has been suggested that research should further explore possible reciprocal relationships between stressors and strain and investigate if work rumination contributes to explain these relationships. In a sample of teachers (n = 1067) using a three-wave design, we hypothesized positive causal effects of job demands (work pace and role conflict) on affective work rumination, and of affective work rumination on exhaustion. We also hypothesized a positive reversed causal effect of exhaustion on affective work rumination, and of affective work rumination on job demands. Furthermore, affective work rumination was expected to mediate the positive causal and reversed causal effects between job demands and exhaustion. The results partly confirmed the expected causal and reversed causal effects. However, affective work rumination was only found to mediate the reversed causal effect of exhaustion and role conflict. Furthermore, a reciprocal relationship was only found between role conflict and exhaustion. The empirical, theoretical, and practical implications of the study are discussed.

Understanding professional development challenges of Chinese public health professionals: association and prediction analyses with data validity screening

Background

Little is known about the public health professionals engaged in educating and training new or future researchers in public health. Research in this direction identifies their issues, concerns, challenges, and needs. This study focused on the professional development challenges of Chinese public health professionals.

Methods

Snowball sampling was utilized. A total of 265 public health professionals participated. An instrument of 6 dimensions (burnout, sleep issue, mood issue, friends' support, exercise, and challenges) was developed, revised, and administered online. Two different approaches, the conventional and data screening approaches, were applied. The former started with item quality analyses, whereas the latter began with data quality checks. The chi-square tests of associations and logistic regressions were performed on both approaches.

Results and discussion

19.25% of the participants were detected and deleted as careless respondents. Using both approaches, six professional development challenges except one ("Multidisciplinary learning") were significantly associated with various demographic features. The two approaches produced different models though they converged sometimes. The latent variables of exercise predicted professional development challenges more frequently than other latent variables. Regarding correct classification rates, results from the data screening approach were comparable to those from the conventional approach.

Conclusion

The latent variables of exercise, such as "Exercise effects," "Expectations of exercise," and "Belief in exercise," might be understudied. More research is necessary for professional development challenges using exercise as a multidimensional construct. Based on the current study, screening and deleting careless responses in survey research is necessary.

Burnout of Greek Teachers: Measurement Invariance and Differences across Individual Characteristics

Burnout (BT) is a vital determinant of work effectiveness and a well-studied psychological construct. The dominant theoretical perspectives have defined BT via the proposed dimensional structures and have provided the corresponding instruments for measuring them. The present endeavor adopts the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory (OLBI), as its purpose is to examine the psychometric properties of a short version for the Greek teachers and to find differences across their individual characteristics. The Greek short version of OLBI comprises two dimensions: Disengagement (four items) and Exhaustion (five items), with reliability measures utilizing Cronbach's alpha and McDonald's omega: Exhaustion (α = 0.810/ω = 0.823) and Disengagement (α = 0.742/ω = 0.756). Confirmatory factor analysis showed an adequate fit of the measurement model: χ² = 320.291, df = 26, p < 0.001; CFI = 0.970; TLI = 0.958; RMSEA = 0.068; 90% CI of RMSEA = [0.062; 0.075]; SRMR = 0.067; NFI = 0.967; GFI = 0.986]. The proposed model is extracted after two studies (N₁ = 134, N₂ = 2437). The novel aspect of this endeavor is the measurement invariance explored across selected demographic variables. The findings supporting the measurement invariance make an essential contribution to the field, and the implications for educational research are provided along with a concise presentation of theoretical issues.

“Control yourself or someone else will control you. Effect of job demands on employee burnout: a perspective from self-regulation theory”

Purpose

This paper aims to show the role of employees’ self-regulation in defining the effect of job demands on employees’ burnout. Moreover, the paper also highlights the importance of a high-performance work system (HPWS) on the relation between job demands and employee self-regulation.

Design/methodology/approach

Data has been collected from public sector hospital nurses through a survey strategy following a time-lagged approach. This data has been analysed to validate the measure and to test the hypotheses through structural equation modelling.

Findings

Results of this study indicate that job demands affect employees’ burnout through adaptive regulation (recovery) and maladaptive regulation (self-undermining). Adaptive regulation minimizes while maladaptive regulation supports this effect. Moreover, results also highlight the role of HPWS in mitigating the negative impact of job demands on adaptive regulation.

Practical implications

This study serves as a guide for managers to minimize the burnout of their subordinates in the face of increasing job demands. This study also emphasizes the use of HPWS in organizations so that the burnout of the employees may be decreased by increasing adaptive self-regulation or recovery.

Originality/value

This study enriches the literature on the job demand resource theory by showing how employee job demands, employee self-regulation (psychological processes) and HPWS (organizational processes) collaborate to determine the extent of job burnout of employees.

Why increase in telework may have affected employee well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic? The role of work and non-work life domains

Given that millions of employees switched to mandatory telework during COVID-19, and as teleworking practices are likely to continue, it is essential to understand the potential impact of mandatory and non-flexible teleworking practices on employee well-being. Drawing on Conservation of Resources theory, we find support for resource gains as increase in job control mediates the link between increases in teleworking and improvements in well-being (increases in work engagement and decreases in burnout and job boredom). Conversely, the findings indicate resource losses as loss of social support and higher work-non-work interference explain the deterioration in well-being for those whose teleworking increased since the COVID-19 outbreak. By coupling role depletion and role enrichment theories, we find that employees who had children living at home experienced greater work-non-work interference due to increased teleworking. However, having children also buffered the negative impact of work-non-work interference on well-being. The findings are based on a Finnish population sample collected three months before and after the COVID-19 outbreak in March 2020 (N = 996 of matched respondents) and latent change score analyses of within-person changes. Our results provide new insights regarding the potential impact of teleworking on employee well-being in a context where teleworking is not flexible and self-selected by the employees. Notably, our results draw bridges (rather than burn them) between role depletion and enrichment frameworks as having children may simultaneously be "a burden" and "a gift".

Supplementary information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12144-023-04250-8.

A managers' work engagement framework for the digital tasks

Unlike much research on work engagement, there is not much literature focused on managers that discuss their job demands and resources related to digital challenges in today's organizations. Grounded in the JD-R model and considering the current digital world context, we build four research propositions and offer a work engagement framework that considers the boundary conditions of digital managerial tasks. Our conceptual framework relates the new job demands and resources to digital managerial tasks: digital adoption tasks and digital business model tasks. This conceptual article has theoretical and practical implications for organizational psychology, organizational behavior, and strategic management scholars and practitioners interested in studying managers' work engagement and digital managerial tasks.

Trust, performance and level of happiness of healthcare employees in the presence of authentic leadership

BACKGROUND

Authentic leadership (AL) is an interesting topic in the organizational behavior literature that has attracted the attention of researchers since the last decade.

OBJECTIVES

This research examines the employee-centered aspect among AL, trust, happiness at work and individual performance through a sequential mediating approach.

METHOD

Data was collected from 435 healthcare professionals working in various hospitals in Pakistan. AL-independent variables were measured and the trust mediating variables were assessed through a questionnaire. The level of happiness at work and IP-dependent variables were measured through a survey.

RESULTS

The results revealed a significant and positive effect of AL on the individual performance that is connected both directly and indirectly through mediating effects of trust and happiness at work. Furthermore, the results showed that AL created a trustworthy atmosphere among the workers that enhanced employee's happiness at work and, subsequently, improved their job performance and motivation.

CONCLUSION

This research delivers new and important results as, one the one hand, it depends on the sequential mediating effects of constructs whereas, on the other hand, it integrates four important variables in one model. Theoretical and practical implications along with future recommendations were presented for organizational management.

Studying the Association Between Occupational Stress and Urinary Levels of Oxidative Stress Biomarkers (8-OHdG and Biopyrrins) in Brickfield Workers

OBJECTIVES

The aims of the study are to measure the prevalence and level of occupational stress (OS) and to explore its association with oxidative stress among some brickfield workers.

METHODS

Eighty-six brickfield workers and 90 administrative controls were assessed using the Arabic validated version of the Occupational Stress Index. The urinary levels of oxidative biomarkers; 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine and biopyrrins were also measured.

RESULTS

The prevalence of moderate and severe OS in addition to the urinary levels of both oxidative biomarkers was significantly higher among the brickfield workers compared with their controls. Both biomarkers levels were significantly and positively correlated with scores of Occupational Stress Index, duration of employment, and with each other. The receiver operating characteristic analysis showed significant specificity and sensitivity of both biomarkers for determining the level of OS.

CONCLUSIONS

A significant association between occupational and oxidative stresses was detected in brickfield workers.

Interplay between Safety Climate and Emotional Exhaustion: Effects on First Responders' Safety Behavior and Wellbeing Over Time

Various job demands continuously threaten Emergency Medical Service (EMS) first responders' safety and wellbeing. Drawing on Job Demands-Resources Theory, the present study examines the effects of the organizational context-safety climate-and the psychological context-emotional exhaustion-on safety behaviors and wellbeing over time. We tested our hypotheses in a longitudinal study of 208 EMS first responders nested within 45 stations from three fire departments in US metropolitan areas over 6 months during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Multilevel modeling showed that the relationship between safety climate and safety compliance behaviors can be attenuated when EMS first responders experience high emotional exhaustion. Emotional exhaustion was also negatively associated with morale while safety climate was positively associated with morale. Additionally, EMS first responders experienced increased depression when their emotional exhaustion levels were high. Higher safety climate was associated with decreased depression when emotional exhaustion was within a low-to-medium range. Higher safety climate was also associated with lower absolute levels of depression across the entire range of emotional exhaustion. These findings suggest that promoting safety climate and mitigating emotional exhaustion can augment EMS first responders' safety behaviors and wellbeing.].

The Protective Effect of Fair and Supportive Leadership against Burnout in Police Employees

Background

This study investigated the association between fair and supportive leadership and symptoms of burnout and insomnia in police employees. Burnout and insomnia can have negative consequences for health, performance, and safety among employees in the police profession, and risk and protective factors should be thoroughly investigated.

Methods

Data were collected in a police district in Norway through questionnaires administered in October 2018 and May 2019. The sample consisted of 206 police employees (52% males), with an average age of 42 years and 16 years of experience in the police occupation.

Results

The results showed that a high degree of fair and supportive leadership was associated with lower levels of burnout and insomnia six months later. Fair and supportive leadership explained a greater amount of variance in burnout compared to insomnia. This finding indicates that fair and supportive leadership is a more important buffer factor against burnout than it is against insomnia. Stress was positively associated with burnout and insomnia, whereas quantitative job demands had no significant association with the concepts.

Conclusion

Fair and supportive leadership can help protect employees from adverse consequences of stress and contribute to improved occupational health, whereas a low degree of support and fair treatment from leaders can both represent a stressor by itself and contribute to poorer coping of stressful events at work. The important role of leadership should be incorporated in measures aimed at preventing and reducing burnout and sleep problems.

Expanding the Focus of Occupational Safety and Health: Lessons from a Series of Linked Scientific Meetings

There is widespread recognition that the world of work is changing, and agreement is growing that the occupational safety and health (OSH) field must change to contribute to the protection of workers now and in the future. Discourse on the evolution of OSH has been active for many decades, but formalized support of an expanded focus for OSH has greatly increased over the past 20 years. Development of approaches such as the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)'s Total Worker Health® concept and the World Health Organization (WHO)'s Healthy Workplace Framework are concrete examples of how OSH can incorporate a new focus with a wider view. In 2019, NIOSH initiated a multi-year effort to explore an expanded focus for OSH. This paper is a report on the outputs of a three-year cooperative agreement between NIOSH and The University of Texas School of Public Health, which led to subject matter expert workshops in 2020 and an international conference of global interest groups in 2021. This article traces the background of these meetings and identifies and assesses the lessons learned. It also reviews ten thematic topics that emerged from the meetings: worker health inequalities; training new OSH professionals; future OSH research and practice; tools to measure well-being of workers; psychosocial hazards and adverse mental health effects; skilling, upskilling and improving job quality; socioeconomic influences; climate change; COVID-19 pandemic influences; and strategic foresight. Cross-cutting these themes is the need for systems and transdisciplinary thinking and operationalization of the concept of well-being to prepare the OSH field for the work of the future.

Job demands-resources theory in times of crises: New propositions

This theoretical paper presents an extended Job Demands–Resources (JD–R) theory aimed at understanding how organizations and their employees can best deal with COVID-19 and other crises in the workplace. The crisis showed that job characteristics alone are insufficient to explain employee health and motivation, i.e., the two focal outcomes of the JD-R theory. Rather, demands and resources of the individual, the family, the job and the organization interact with each other to predict outcomes. Moreover, next to individual regulatory strategies also the regulatory strategies of the family, the leader and organization/team are suggested to modify the impact of demands and resources on outcomes. This was possible by integrating the crisis management literature in JD-R theory. Viewing the crisis from a job design perspective helped us to introduce several new and testable propositions that specify how employee well-being and functioning are impacted by crises and turbulent times.

Plain Language Summary

Organizations have been struggling to find out how their employees are affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and what they can do to support their well-being and improve their functioning during the pandemic and beyond. The well-being and job performance of individual employees are difficult to predict which becomes even more complicated during times of crisis. The Job Demands–Resources theory is a helpful means because it suggests that employee health and motivation are outcomes of two different processes, i.e., the health impairment process and the motivational process. Job demands, such as work pressure and demanding customers, exhaust the energy of employees and consequently diminish their health, whereas job resources, such as autonomy and social support, help employees to deal with the demands and to develop themselves. The pandemic showed that the interplay between demands and resources of the individual, the job, the family and the organization predict outcomes. Moreover, next to individual regulatory strategies also the regulatory strategies of the family, the leader and organization/team are suggested to modify the impact of demands and resources on outcomes. Viewing the crisis from a job design perspective helped us to introduce in the Job Demands–Resources theory several testable propositions that specify how employee well-being and functioning are impacted by crises and turbulent times.

Impact of empowering leadership on emotional exhaustion: A controlled interventional study in a large French university hospital complex

AIM

The aim of this study is to assess the effect of a systemic intervention on the evolution of empowering leadership and emotional exhaustion in a university hospital sub-centre compared to a control sub-centre, both being part of a large French university hospital complex.

BACKGROUND

Empowering leadership is a promising strategy for developing hospital team engagement and performance. However, the bureaucratic functioning of large hospitals, characterized by a managerial culture of control and a stratified organization, can be a barrier to empowering leadership.

METHODS

The intervention included empowering leadership training, direct field experimentation of empowering leadership and coaching, involving all the sub-centre hierarchical levels for 12 months. Data were collected before and after the intervention. A total of 441 and 310 participants were, respectively, included in the intervention and control sub-centres.

RESULTS

Empowering leadership was decreased, and emotional exhaustion was increased in the control sub-centre, while the scores remained stable in the intervention sub-centre. The increased emotional exhaustion in the control sub-centre could partially be explained by the change in empowering leadership.

CONCLUSION

In a context of decreased empowering leadership and increased emotional exhaustion, the intervention had a protective effect. Implications for the design of future interventions were discussed.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT

This study unequivocally showed the benefit of transforming hospital management towards empowering leadership, to prevent increased emotional exhaustion.

REGISTRATION NUMBER

This study is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov on 4 July 2019 (NCT04010773).

Longitudinal relations between abusive supervision, subordinates' emotional exhaustion, and job neglect among Pakistani Nurses: The moderating role of self-compassion

The main purpose of this study was to investigate reciprocal relationships between abusive supervision, subordinates' emotional exhaustion, and job neglect, and to examine the mediating role of emotional exhaustion in the cross-lagged relationship between abusive supervision and job neglect. Besides, we tested the moderating role of self-compassion in the cross-lagged relationship between abusive supervision and emotional exhaustion. We applied a two-wave cross-lagged panel design with a time lag of six months. Participants were 331 staff nurses of public sector hospitals in Islamabad, Pakistan. Data were collected using a self-report questionnaire at two points in time. Longitudinal structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to compare nested models. Results of cross-lagged SEM analyses supported the posited reciprocal model, indicating that abusive supervision, emotional exhaustion, and job neglect are mutually related. Results of mediation analysis showed that emotional exhaustion partially mediates the cross-lagged relationship between abusive supervision and job neglect. Further, we found that self-compassion attenuates the positive cross-lagged effect of abusive supervision on emotional exhaustion, and the indirect effect of abusive supervision on job neglect was weaker at higher levels of self-compassion. Our findings suggest that subordinates may find themselves in abusive relationships, in part, because their own behavioral responses to abuse can reinforce abusive supervision. Moreover, we identified the stress-buffering effect of self-compassion on emotional exhaustion.

The Link between Job Demands, Burnout, and the Self-Undermining of Healthcare Employees during the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Underestimated Threat?

Previous studies have shown an association between job demands and burnout in medical staff during the pandemic. However, these studies have ignored the possibility of loss cycle occurrence during the crisis. In order to address this gap, the aim of this study was to test the mediating role of burnout in the positive relationship between job demands and the self-undermining of healthcare employees during the COVID-19 pandemic. Self-undermining represents the set of behaviors that generate obstacles and diminish performance (e.g., careless mistakes, generating interpersonal conflicts, poor communication), and it has been suggested that this variable could explain the loss cycle between demands and burnout (the phenomenon in which demands increase burnout, which in turn leads to even greater demands). A total of 523 healthcare workers from two Romanian hospitals (e.g., physicians, nurses, stretcher-bearers) completed a self-report questionnaire during the COVID-19 outbreak that included three job demands, burnout, and self-undermining. Burnout mediated the positive relationship between two demands (work–family conflict; lack of equipment and supplies) and self-undermining. These results may provide a preliminary indication for the existence of loss cycles, supporting the assumptions of the job demands-resources theory. Moreover, the results highlight the risk of loss cycle occurrences for healthcare employees during outbreaks.

Individual Workplace Well-Being Captured into a Literature- and Stakeholders-Based Causal Loop Diagram

This study demonstrates an innovative approach to capture the complexity of individual workplace well-being, improving our understanding of multicausal relationships and feedback loops involved. The literature shows that a high number of interacting factors are related to individual workplace well-being. However, many studies focus on subsets of factors, and causal loops are seldomly studied. The aim of the current study was, therefore, to capture individual workplace well-being in a comprehensive conceptual causal loop diagram (CLD). We followed an iterative, qualitative, and transdisciplinary systems-thinking approach including literature search, group model building sessions, retrospective in-depth interviews with employees, and group sessions with human resource professionals, managers, job coaches, and management consultants. The results were discussed with HR and well-being officers of twelve organizations for their critical reflection on the recognizability and potential of the developed CLD. The final result, a conceptual individual workplace well-being CLD, provides a comprehensive overview of multiple, measurable key factors relating to individual workplace well-being and of the way these factors may causally interact over time, either improving or deteriorating workplace well-being. In future studies, the CLD can be translated to a quantitative system dynamics model for simulating workplace well-being scenarios. Ultimately, these simulations could be used to design effective workplace well-being interventions.

The Forgotten Working Class: A Call to Action Based upon a Repeated Cross-Sectional Examination of the Relationships Among Social Class, Financial Satisfaction, and Exhaustion

For several decades, working-class employees have been forgotten by policy makers and society more generally. This notion is further exacerbated in the organizational studies literature, where research mostly focuses on professional employees. In the current study, we seek to rectify this omission by examining how the experience of working-class employees has changed over time. We use a nationally representative sample of 35,771 U.S. employees collected between 1972 and 2018 as part of the repeated cross-sections of the General Social Survey Results suggest a growing disparity between working-class and middle/upper-class employees, with working-class employees reporting lower levels of financial satisfaction and higher levels of work exhaustion compared to middle/upper-class employees. Moreover, these discrepancies have increased over time, suggesting that this population of employees has indeed been forgotten.

Factors contributing to burnout among nurses at a district hospital in Namibia: A qualitative perspective on nurses

AIM

The aim of this study was to explore and describe the factors that contribute to burnout among nurses.

BACKGROUND

Burnout remains one of the major occupational health problems, posing risks to human health globally. In Namibia, there has been growing public criticism of nurses, stating that they are rude, or act in a manner that does not show professionalism toward their clients. Reasons for such unprofessional behaviour could be linked to negative attitudes on the part of nurses toward their clients, resulting from burnout syndrome.

METHOD

A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual research design was followed as the basis for conducting the study. Using a purposive sampling technique, a sample of 20 nurses was selected from a population of 69 nurses employed in this setting. This sample size was determined by the saturation of data as reflected in repeating themes. Data were collected using individual semi-structured interviews and were analysed using qualitative thematic analysis.

RESULTS

The following three themes emerged: understanding the concept of burnout, factors leading to burnout, and creating a conducive environment as a corrective measure to address burnout and to advance nurses.

CONCLUSIONS

Burnout is indeed real and affects nurses' performance negatively. Burnout has a negative impact on the wellbeing of nurses both physically and emotionally, which has the potential to compromise staff performance, productivity and the quality of patient care. Burnout among nurses is linked to many stressors such as poor staff management, inadequate resources, lack of support and lack of wellness programmes in the workplace.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT

Strengthening communication between frontline health workers and management by engaging and involving them more in decision-making in matters that concern them is anticipated to address poor staff management, enhance staff performance and improve the quality of patient care. Staff wellness programmes in the workplace are believed to be a good coping mechanism to address work-related pressure and tensions, and they are believed to resolve some work-related stress which may result in increased staff productivity.

Technostress Creators and Outcomes Among Egyptian Medical Staff and Students: A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Study of Remote Working Environment During COVID-19 Pandemic

Objectives

This study aimed to investigate the technostress creators and outcomes among University medical and nursing faculties and students as direct effects of the remote working environment during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background

Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, shifting to virtual learning that implies utilizing the information and communication technologies (ICTs) is urgent. Technostress is a problem commonly arising in the virtual working environments and it occurs due to misfitting and maladaptation between the individual and the changeable requirements of ICTs.

Methods

A multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted in medicine and nursing colleges of 5 Egyptian universities and included both staff members and students. The data were collected through personal interviews, from January to May 2021. All the participants took a four-part questionnaire that asked about personal and demographic data, technostress creators, job or study, and technical characteristics and technostress outcomes (burnout, strain, and work engagement). Furthermore, participants' blood cortisol and co-enzyme Q10 (CoQ10) levels were tested in a random sample of the students and medical staff.

Results

A total of 3,582 respondents participated in the study, 1,056 staff members and 2,526 students where 33.3% of the staff members and 7.6% of students reported high technostress. Among staff members, total technostress score significantly predicted Cortisol level (β = 2.98, CI 95%: 0.13-5.83), CoQ10(β = −6.54, CI 95%: [(−8.52)–(−4.56), strain (β = 1.20, CI 95%: 0.93–1.47), burnout (β = 0.73, CI 95%: 0.48–0.97) and engagement (β = −0.44, CI 95%: [(−0.77)–(−0.11)]) whereas among students, total technostress score significantly predicted cortisol level (β = 6.64, CI 95%: 2.78–10.49), strain (β = 1.25, CI 95%: 0.72–1.77), and burnout (β = 0.70, CI 95%: 0.37–1.04). Among staff members and students, technology characteristics were significantly positive predictors to technostress while job characteristics were significantly negative predictors to technostress.

Conclusion

The Egyptian medical staff members and students reported moderate-to-high technostress which was associated with high burnout, strain, and cortisol level; moreover, high technostress was associated with low-work engagement and low CoQ10 enzyme. This study highlighted the need to establish psychological support programs for staff members and students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Impact of Mindfulness on Stress and Burnout of New Graduate Nurses as a Component of a Nurse Residency Program

OBJECTIVE

This evidence-based practice project assessed the impact of integrating mindfulness training into an existing nurse residency program.

BACKGROUND

Stress and burnout are endemic in healthcare. The transition to practice is associated with stress and anxiety for newly graduated nurses. Evidence supports mindfulness-based interventions to mitigate stress and burnout and improve the workplace environment and patient outcomes.

METHODS

This project employed a pre/post design to measure burnout, stress, and mindfulness, comparing means and standard deviations between intervention and comparison nurse residency cohorts. Mindfulness training was integrated at 4 points within the 1st 6 months of the residency program.

RESULTS

The intervention cohort reported significantly less burnout and stress and more mindfulness at 6 months than the comparison group.

CONCLUSIONS

Mindfulness training can be feasibly integrated into an existing nurse residency program to decrease stress and burnout for new graduate nurses during the transition to practice.

Effects of Persistent Exposure to COVID-19 on Mental Health Outcomes Among Trainees: a Longitudinal Survey Study

BACKGROUND

The rapid spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has created considerable strain on the physical and mental health of healthcare workers around the world. The effects have been acute for physician trainees-a unique group functioning simultaneously as learners and care providers with limited autonomy.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the longitudinal effects of physician trainee exposure to patients being tested for COVID-19 on stress, anxiety, depression, and burnout using three surveys conducted during the early phase of the pandemic.

DESIGN

Longitudinal survey study.

PARTICIPANTS

All physician trainees (N = 1375) at an academic medical center.

MAIN MEASURE

Assess the relationship between repeated exposure to patients being tested for COVID-19 and stress, anxiety, depression, and burnout.

KEY RESULTS

Three hundred eighty-nine trainees completed the baseline survey (28.3%). Of these, 191 and 136 completed the ensuing surveys. Mean stress, anxiety, and burnout decreased by 21% (95% confidence interval (CI): - 28 to - 12%; P < 0.001), 25% (95% CI: - 36 to - 11%; P < 0.001), and 13% (95% CI: - 18 to - 7%; P < 0.001), respectively, per survey. However, for each survey time point, there was mean increase in stress, anxiety, and burnout per additional exposure: stress [24% (95% CI: + 12 to + 38%; P < 0.001)], anxiety [22% (95% CI: + 2 to + 46%; P = 0.026)], and burnout [18% (95% CI: + 10 to + 28%; P < 0.001)]. For depression, the association between exposure was strongest for the third survey, where mean depression scores increased by 33% per additional exposure (95% CI: + 18 to + 50%; P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Training programs should adapt to address the detrimental effects of the "pileup" of distress associated with persistent exposure through adaptive programs that allow flexibility for time off and recovery.

Workplace Factors, Burnout Signs, and Clinical Mental Health Symptoms among Mental Health Workers in Lombardy and Quebec during the First Wave of COVID-19

Several research contributions have depicted the impact of the pandemic environment on healthcare and social care personnel. Even though the high prevalence of burnout depression and anxiety in healthcare settings before COVID-19 has been well documented in the research, the recent increase in psychological distress and mental health issues in healthcare and mental health workers should be attributed to the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of the present study is to develop, evaluate, and compare a model of COVID-19 workplace stressors between two different territories, the Italian region of Lombardy and the Canadian province of Quebec. Within this model, burnout is depicted as the strongest determinant of mental health symptoms for mental health workers. In turn, the main workplace determinants of burnout are the perception of a lack of support from the organization and the fear of contracting COVID-19 at work. Findings also provide insights for designing interventions to promote and protect mental health workers in the context of the pandemic. In conclusion, it is necessary to monitor burnout and carefully analyze elements of organizational culture, in addition to offering clinical and psychological care for those in need.

Applying machine learning to explore the association between biological stress and near misses in emergency medicine residents

Physician stress is associated with near misses and adverse medical events. However, little is known about physiological mechanisms linking stress to such events. We explored the utility of machine learning to determine whether the catabolic stress hormone cortisol and the anabolic, anti-stress hormone dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S), as well as the cortisol to DHEA-S ratio relate to near misses in emergency medicine residents during active duty in a trauma 1 emergency department. Compared to statistical models better suited for inference, machine learning models allow for prediction in situations that have not yet occurred, and thus better suited for clinical applications. This exploratory study used multiple machine learning models to determine possible relationships between biomarkers and near misses. Of the various models tested, support vector machine with radial bias function kernels and support vector machine with linear kernels performed the best, with training accuracies of 85% and 79% respectively. When evaluated on a test dataset, both models had prediction accuracies of around 80%. The pre-shift cortisol to DHEA-S ratio was shown to be the most important predictor in interpretable models tested. Results suggest that interventions that help emergency room physicians relax before they begin their shift could reduce risk of errors and improve patient and physician outcomes. This pilot demonstrates promising results regarding using machine learning to better understand the stress biology of near misses. Future studies should use larger groups and relate these variables to information in electronic medical records, such as objective and patient-reported quality measures.

What Is Autistic Burnout? A Thematic Analysis of Posts on Two Online Platforms

Background

Compared with adults in the general population, autistic adults are more likely to experience poor mental health, which can contribute to increased suicidality. While the autistic community has long identified autistic burnout as a significant mental health risk, to date, only one study has been published. Early research has highlighted the harmful impact of autistic burnout among autistic adults and the urgent need to better understand this phenomenon.

Methods

To understand the lived experiences of autistic adults, we used data scraping to extract public posts about autistic burnout from 2 online platforms shared between 2005 and 2019, which yielded 1127 posts. Using reflexive thematic analysis and an inductive "bottom-up" approach, we sought to understand the etiology, symptoms, and impact of autistic burnout, as well as prevention and recovery strategies. Two autistic researchers with self-reported experience of autistic burnout reviewed the themes and provided insight and feedback.

Results

We identified eight primary themes and three subthemes across the data. (1) Systemic, pervasive lack of autism awareness. (1.1) Discrimination and stigma. (2) A chronic or recurrent condition. (3) Direct impact on health and well-being. (4) A life unlived. (5) A blessing in disguise? (6) Self-awareness and personal control influence risk. (6.1) "You need enough balloons to manage the weight of the rocks." (7) Masking: Damned if you do, damned if you don't. (8) Ask the experts. (8.1) Stronger together. The overarching theme was that a pervasive lack of awareness and stigma about autism underlie autistic burnout.

Conclusions

We identified a set of distinct yet interrelated factors that characterize autistic burnout as a recurring condition that can, directly and indirectly, impact autistic people's functioning, mental health, quality of life, and well-being. The findings suggest that increased awareness and acceptance of autism could be key to burnout prevention and recovery.

Some of the workforce face post COVID after the acute phase of the illness: The employer’s supportive role

BACKGROUND: A considerable proportion of workers that recover from an acute phase of COVID-19 are confronted with post COVID-19 symptoms of varying severity and duration. Employers have an important role in addressing this new condition. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to review organisational practises that could help employees suffering from long COVID-19 return to work and to link these suggestions to theoretical frameworks from the field of work and organisational psychology. METHODS: Since scientific publications on post COVID-19 are published daily, but sound empirical studies are still scarce, the synthesis of the scientific and professional literature was performed in the form of a narrative review. RESULTS: The results were organised according to the healthy workplace model and explained through the lens of the job demands-resources theory. The role of the employer has three aspects: collaboration, instructional pillars, and key actors. The main guidelines for implementation of the policies are an individualised approach, flexibility, and support. Supportive policies, practises, and relationships might have a direct impact on workers’ psychological resources. CONCLUSIONS: The model could help employers understand the conditions and necessary adaptations for workers with post COVID-19, as well as advance research in work and organisational psychology.

Profiles of Burnout, Job Demands and Personal Resources among Emergency Call-Takers and Dispatchers

According to scientific research, emergency call-takers and dispatchers are particularly vulnerable to burnout syndrome. There are no data describing specific burnout patterns or allowing for the definition of subgroups of workers who are particularly at risk. The aim of this research was to apply a person-oriented approach to characterize burnout profiles using job-related variables and personal resources. A cross-sectional survey study was conducted on 553 call-takers and dispatchers aged between 19 and 65, from 14 public safety answering points in Poland. The Link Burnout Questionnaire, the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale, the Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale, and an independent questionnaire were used to gather information. K-means cluster analysis was used, which allowed us to highlight three distinct burnout risk profiles: high risk of burnout, without full-blown pattern of burnout with high inefficacy, and no risk of burnout with an increased sense of disappointment. Several variables which coexisted with occupational burnout included work experience, weekly working hours, intensity of perceived stress, and self-efficacy level. The application of a person-oriented approach made it possible to identify groups of call takers characterized by a high risk of burnout syndrome, and to indicate the areas in which preventive measures, focused on each of their specific needs, should be taken.

The Effect of EFL Teacher Apprehension and Teacher Burnout on Learners’ Academic Achievement

This review aims at investigating the related studies on the role of teacher burnout and teacher apprehension in learners’ academic achievement. The negative effect of teacher burnout on learners’ academic achievement has been corroborated in the review of the literature. Furthermore, the effect of teacher apprehension on learners’ academic success has not been widely studied. However, some stressors such as having insufficient L2 knowledge, cultural differences, and classroom management problems can affect learners’ academic achievements. Finally, the pedagogical implications are illuminated for teachers, administrators, researchers, managers, teacher trainers, and counselors to decrease teacher burnout and apprehension and to develop language teaching quality in the language educational system. Some suggestions for further research are also provided to expand the current literature on teacher burnout and apprehension in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) contexts.

Escala Brasileira de Burnout (EBB): Estrutura Interna e Controle de Aquiescência

Resumo Escalas de autorrelato no contexto clínico são suscetíveis a vieses de resposta. A aquiescência pode superestimar uma dimensão geral em estudos fatoriais com esses instrumentos e enviesar os escores dos participantes. A maior parte dos instrumentos clínicos de autorrelato não dispõe de ferramentas para controle de vieses. O objetivo desta pesquisa foi avaliar a estrutura interna com o controle da aquiescência, da Escala Brasileira de Burnout (EBB). Fizeram parte da amostra 854 trabalhadores. Após o controle da aquiescência, a melhor solução foi um modelo bifactor com dois fatores teóricos (Exaustão Emocional e Frustração Profissional, e Despersonalização/Distanciamento) e um fator geral de viés. A EBB pode ser útil em pesquisas e no rastreio dos sintomas de burnout.