Burnout combating strategies, triggers, implications, and self-coping mechanisms among nurses working in Saudi Arabia: a multicenter, mixed methods study

BACKGROUND

The World Health Organization (WHO) has defined burnout as an occupational phenomenon resulting from unsuccessfully managed chronic workplace stress. The well-being of healthcare professionals is the foundation for the health of patients and organizations. In Saudi Arabia, nursing plays a pivotal role in the healthcare sector, with both local and expatriate nurses taking part in various clinical and high-pressure services. However, rapid growth in healthcare facilities, staff shortages, and patient loads are adversely impacting stress levels among nurses.

METHODS

This study used a mix of research methods to survey 1,747 nurses (with a 90% response rate) from three major hospitals (King Fahad Medical City, King Saud Medical City, and King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center), two smaller hospitals (Prince Mohammed Bin Abdulaziz Hospital and Al Habib Medical Group (HMG)-Al Suwaidi Hospital branch), and five primary healthcare centers, selecting participants randomly. Survey questionnaires collected data to evaluate the significance of the proposed burnout-combating strategies in relation to nursing administration, workload, and hospital administration responsibilities. Qualitative data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with 90 nurses to investigate and explore burnout triggers, implications, and coping mechanisms.

FINDINGS

A majority of the nurses (87.9%) indicated that assessing their needs and listening to their feedback could help them manage and prevent burnout. In comparison, 89.7% believed that their leaders should enhance the work environment and conditions, while 87% suggested adjusting the nurse-to-patient ratio to improve patient satisfaction. Conversely, 6.8% of the participants held a negative perception that each additional patient per nurse was associated with an increase in the mortality rate, whereas 3.4% felt that granting nurses more control over their schedules and conducting departmental meetings to discuss health could help alleviate work pressure. We identified three themes: factors that trigger burnout symptoms, the implications of burnout, and suggested coping mechanisms. Additionally, they highlighted the prevalence and likelihood of burnout triggers, implications, and coping strategies, providing critical insights for nurse leaders, workload management, and hospital administrators.

CONCLUSION

Nurse leaders, along with workload management strategies and hospital administrators, play a crucial role in mitigating and overcoming burnout. Establishing a healthy work environment is recognized as the most effective strategy for combating burnout, followed by implementing mental health education and training programs to enhance adaptive and cognitive resilience, promote health improvement, and strengthen resistance to burnout. Further research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of these coping strategies for other healthcare professionals and to explore how cultural diversity, religious beliefs, and social factors may influence burnout triggers, consequences, and the development of self-coping mechanisms.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Healthcare leaders should remain vigilant and prioritize strengthening resilience in hospital settings. Changes in institutional policies are essential to upholding suitable staffing ratios to reduce workload stress, implementing equitable scheduling practices to enhance work-life balance, and ensuring consistent, uninterrupted breaks to promote mental and physical rejuvenation. Organizations must implement policies that directly address the factors contributing to burnout.

CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER

Not applicable.

Compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue in humanitarian aid workers: the relationship with shared trauma and coping mechanisms

Introduction

Forced displacement constitutes a global crisis impacting millions of people especially in the Middle East, leaving them impacted by traumatic history. Humanitarian aid workers (HAWs) who support displaced individuals are exposed to high risk of burnout and secondary traumatic stress (STS).

Methods

This study aimed to identify the prevalence of compassion satisfaction (CS) and compassion fatigue (CF), referring to burnout and STS, respectively, using the Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQOL). The study explored the relationships between these factors and personal variables that are related to shared trauma, as well as coping mechanisms assessed using the Brief-COPE questionnaire among Middle Eastern HAWs working with displaced individuals.

Results

The study involved 78 HAWs supporting displaced individuals in the Middle East. The mean age was 25.81 years (SD = ± 5.54); 55% were females, and the majority (88%) were Syrians. Approximately 90% of participants were engaged in Turkey and Syria. The most prevalent coping mechanisms were religion and planning. Being a graduate predicted burnout, whereas older age, previous mental diagnosis, and shared trauma predicted higher STS levels. Compassion satisfaction was predicted by active coping, and compassion fatigue was predicted by negative coping.

Conclusion

HAWs require education to recognize CF signs and psychological training to promote effective coping mechanisms, mitigate CF, and enhance higher levels of CS. More research is needed on the psychology of HAWs and the role of shared trauma and coping mechanisms.

From home to classroom: The untold impact of family ostracism on teacher negligence behavior and knowledge hoarding

Our study breaks new ground by examining the adverse effects of family ostracism on employees' negligence behavior and knowledge hoarding, a fact that has been overlooked in the literature. Drawing from the Stress-Non-Equilibrium-Compensation Approach, we investigate the development of a consolidative framework that explores the mediating role of emotional exhaustion and workplace envy in the relationship between family ostracism on employee negligence behavior and knowledge hoarding along with the moderating role of coping strategies. We utilized the multisource and time lag approach to collect data from 307 university teachers, and it was analyzed through structural equation modeling (SEM). Our study results reveal that family ostracism is negatively related to employee negligence behavior and knowledge hoarding. Furthermore, coping strategies moderated the sequentially mediated relationships between family ostracism and employees' negligence behavior and knowledge hoarding, such that the relationships are weaker for employees with high vs. low coping strategies. Finally, our study stresses that female employees are vulnerable to family ostracism, often leading to negligence behavior and knowledge hoarding. The theoretical and practical implications of this study are discussed.

Nurses' and midwives' job satisfaction and retention during COVID-19: a scoping review

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic focused attention on the previously well-documented world-wide shortage of nurses and midwives. The pandemic accentuated this crisis, which resulted in nurses and midwives questioning their roles and their careers. The impact of the pandemic on job satisfaction and the intention of nurses and midwives to stay has not been adequately explored.

AIM

The aim of this scoping review was to identify and map the literature that describes the intrinsic and extrinsic factors that influenced nurses' and midwives' job satisfaction and intent to stay or leave their employment or profession during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHOD

This scoping review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) and the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) guidelines. Studies written in English and published between 2019 and December 2023 were included, and consisted of quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods studies. MEDLINE, CINAHL, and PsychINFO were the key information sources. The search terms for this review were developed using the PCC mnemonic: Population, Concept and Context. The JBI approach to sources selection, data extraction and presentation of data was used.

RESULTS

A total of 1833 relevant articles were identified. Of these, 17 articles met the inclusion criteria. Ten factors were identified as impacting on nurses and midwives job satisfaction and retention during the COVID-19 pandemic.

CONCLUSION

The findings reveal key factors, such as patient acuity, staffing dynamics, leadership quality, and resource availability, have significantly shaped the professional experiences of nurses and midwives during the pandemic. These insights can inform targeted policies and interventions to improve job satisfaction and retention, while future research should address gaps, particularly the unique challenges faced by midwives, to strengthen the healthcare workforce for future crises.

PROBLEM

Little is known about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on job satisfaction and intention to stay among nurses and midwives.

WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN

The pandemic resulted in unprecedented and demanding working environments for nurses and midwives.

WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS

This scoping review maps the intrinsic and extrinsic factors regarding nurses' and midwives' job satisfaction and intent to stay in their professions during the COVID-19 pandemic. There were multifaceted challenges and adaptations in the nursing and midwifery work environments during the COVID-19 pandemic. More research is required, especially about the effects of the pandemic on midwives.

Burnout Profiles Among French Pediatric Health Care Professionals: A Cluster Analysis

The aim of our study was to identify burnout profiles among pediatric nurses and physicians, and their specificities concerning sociodemographic characteristics, occupational stress, stress specific to pediatric caregivers, and coping. Conducted on a sample of 195 French pediatric health care professionals, a cluster analysis showed 2 endpoint profiles (Engagement, Burnout) and 3 intermediate profiles (Overextended, Disengaged, Ineffective). The Burnout profile showed the highest median scores on hours worked per week, occupational stress, stress related to working conditions, and relationships with colleagues and superiors. The Overextended profile reported more stress related to working conditions than did other intermediate profiles. The Disengaged profile showed the second lowest median score on stress related to relationships with colleagues and superiors and less social support-seeking than other profiles. The Ineffective profile used less problem-focused coping than the Engagement and intermediate profiles. Intervention for the well-being of these professionals should focus primarily on improving their working conditions.

The relationship between psychological capital and athlete burnout: the mediating relationship of coping strategies and the moderating relationship of perceived stress

BACKGROUND

Athlete burnout represents a critical concern in sports psychology, significantly affecting athletes' well-being and performance. This study examined the relationships among psychological capital, coping strategies, perceived stress, and athlete burnout.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 344 athletes, and data were analyzed using SPSS Statistics 25.0 and PROCESS Macro v4.1 for hierarchical stepwise regression and moderated mediation analysis. Control variables included age, gender, sport type, and competitive experience.

RESULTS

The results revealed that psychological capital negatively associated with burnout both directly ( β = -0.539, p < 0.01) and indirectly (a*b = -0.803, p < 0.01) through coping strategies. Furthermore, perceived stress influenced both the relationship between psychological capital and coping strategies and the indirect effect of psychological capital on burnout via coping strategies. Notably, under high-stress conditions, the negative association of psychological capital was more pronounced, with a more substantial indirect effect compared to low-stress conditions ( β = -1.020, p < .01 vs. β = -0.299, p < .01).

CONCLUSIONS

These findings underscore the importance of cultivating psychological resources and adaptive coping mechanisms to mitigate burnout, offering valuable insights for targeted interventions aimed at enhancing the well-being of athletes, particularly those experiencing elevated stress levels.

Strategies for Coping with Burnout among Palestinian Mental Health Practitioners throughout Wartimes: A Cross-sectional Study

Background

During wartime, mental health professionals are more prone to mental health problems, such as burnout. Currently, there is less knowledge of the coping strategies employed by Palestinian mental health professionals to manage the consequences of wars and conflicts. In light of the ongoing political violence in Palestine, this study sought to investigate the prevalence of burnout and coping methods among mental health professionals.

Methods

The research design was cross-sectional. We used self-reported questionnaires to gather data, including the abbreviated Maslach Burnout Questionnaire and Brief COPE Scale. Multiple regression, Pearson correlation, and a Chi-square test were used to examine the association between the study variables and burn symptoms.

Results

Out of 514 participants, who were surveyed, there was a prevalence of high burnout (75.4%), emotional exhaustion (24.7%), depersonalization (11.9%), and inadequate personal accomplishment (19.6%). Professionals who reported struggling or being unable to interact with their clients during the political violence and those whose psychological state was negatively impacted by it were more likely to feel emotional exhaustion. Also, self-blame was found to raise the chance of emotional exhaustion, whereas planning decreased it. Depersonalization was more common in 31-40-year-olds. Humor and behavioral disengagement increased depersonalization, but religious coping lowered it. Furthermore, treating patients affected by political conflict, being male, not being single, and using substances decreased personal accomplishment, whereas venting increased it.

Conclusion

The results showed an elevated prevalence of burnout among mental health personnel during conflict and political violence. Therefore, it is critical to immediately provide mental health workers with stress management training and psychological support to enhance their psychological well-being. Additionally, they need help in learning how to effectively organize their time, manage activities, and distribute duties during political conflict.

Temporal Stages of Burnout: How to Design Prevention?

Burnout, a major concern defined most commonly in the literature with a symptoms-based classification, can also be described as a temporal process with various stages experienced by workers, each composed of unique characteristics and challenges. This intricate process of burnout emphasizes pivotal moments, such as engagement and enthusiasm with a high job ideal (Stage 0), weakening of the ideal (Stage 1), protective withdrawal (Stage 2) and confirmed burnout (Stage 3). Through an opinion review, the objective of this article is to examine which prevention level, and more specifically which prevention actions, can be developed at each stage of this temporal process of burnout. The review criteria allow for the integration of both individual- and organization-focused interventions, ranging from early organizational-level strategies (primary prevention) to clinical consultations addressing the erosion of professional ideals (secondary prevention), as well as psychoeducational sessions aimed at promoting worker well-being. In conclusion, the article underscores the need for a holistic approach, combining organization-focused interventions with individual-focused interventions. Through a comprehensive review, this research provides insights into evidence-based practices, identifies gaps in current research, and offers guidance for future interventions for better support of workers facing burnout.

Perfectionism and Adolescent Athletes' Burnout: The Serial Mediation of Motivation and Coping Style

Preventing and reducing adolescent athletes' risk of burnout can help promote long-term sports participation, improve performance, and maintain psychological well-being. The present study examined the associations between perfectionism and burnout among Chinese adolescent athletes and the mediating role of motivation and coping styles. A total of 243 Chinese adolescent athletes (78% boys; Mage = 17.8; SD = 2.62) completed the Sport Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale for China, the Situational Motivation Scale, the Coping Scale for Chinese Athletes, and the Athlete Burnout Questionnaire to assess perfectionism (strivings and concerns), coping styles (problem-focused and emotion-focused), motivation (intrinsic and amotivation), and burnout. Path analyses indicated that intrinsic motivation and coping styles (problem-focused and emotion-focused) serially mediated the relationship between perfectionistic strivings and burnout. Problem-focused coping mediated the relationship between perfectionistic concerns and burnout. These findings contribute to a model of the effect of perfectionism on adolescent athletes' burnout, provide support for the self-determination theory, and suggest a feasible approach for mitigating burnout in this group.

A longitudinal examination of appraisal, coping, stress, and mental health in students: A cross-lagged panel network analysis

In their seminal Transactional Theory of Stress, Lazarus and Folkman described a complex adaptation mechanism that involves appraisal and coping processes that lead to the subjective experience of stress. In this study, we examined the temporal order of all components of this theory using a cross-lagged panel analysis. A sample of 354 students (62.10% female, mean age = 20.63 y.o.) participated in a 5-week study and completed weekly self-reported measures of prospective appraisal, coping, core burnout, and mental health (i.e. depression, anxiety, and stress). Using cross-lagged panel network analyses, we analyzed how each measured variable is predicted by all variables from the previous measurement moment. Convergent with the transactional stress theory, we found that threat appraisals and negative self-perception predicted future anxiety and depression. Contrary to expectations, core burnout and somatization emerged as significant predictors of poor mental health outcomes, suggesting a self-perpetuating spiral. Furthermore, our study highlighted the importance of recognizing the bidirectional connections between appraisals, coping strategies, and mental well-being.

How are you coping? Stress, coping, burnout, and aggression in forensic mental healthcare workers

Introduction

Perceived stress at work has been linked to several adverse outcomes in workers, including increased risk of burnout and aggression (e.g., anger and irritability). However, much remains unknown about factors that might mitigate the negative influences of perceived stress on workers' well-being. This study focusses on coping as a possible protective factor against perceived stress and its consequences in forensic mental healthcare workers. We aimed to identify which higher-order coping factors were present in this worker sample and to investigate whether these coping factors modify the associations between perceived stress and burnout or aggression.

Methods

For this observational survey study, 116 forensic mental healthcare workers completed questionnaires assessing changes in work situation since the start of COVID-19, perceived stress, coping, burnout symptoms, and aggression.

Results

Results from principal component analysis indicated that four higher-order coping factors could be distinguished: social support and emotional coping, positive cognitive restructuring, problem-focused coping, and passive coping. Higher perceived stress levels were associated with higher levels of both burnout and aggression in workers. Problem-focused coping was associated with less burnout symptoms in workers. Furthermore, positive cognitive restructuring was associated with less aggression in workers.

Discussion

In conclusion, problem-focused coping and positive cognitive restructuring may protect workers against burnout symptoms and aggression and these results may inform future studies on preventive interventions aimed at promoting worker's well-being.

Problem-Focused Coping and Teacher Emotional Violence: A Serial Mediation Analysis

Although school violence is a serious problem, teacher emotional violence that has short- and long-term detrimental effects on children's development is often overlooked. Considering the potential negative effects, it is important to determine teacher characteristics associated with teacher emotional violence, especially in societies where the prevalence rate of emotional violence is high. The current study investigated the role of teacher stress and burnout and favorable attitudes toward emotional violence in the association between problem-focused coping and teacher emotional violence. Between February and June 2019, a cross-sectional study was conducted in 16 randomly selected secondary schools in İzmir, Turkey. In total, 205 secondary school teachers (64.4% females, Mage = 37.20 years) participated in this study. Participants completed questionnaires that assessed their use of emotional violence, favorable attitudes toward emotional violence, stress and burnout, and problem-focused coping. A serial mediation model was conducted. The model indicated that problem-focused coping was not directly associated with teacher emotional violence. Examination of indirect pathways suggested that favorable attitudes toward emotional violence did not mediate this relationship; however, stress and burnout mediated the link between problem-focused coping and emotional violence. In addition, there was a significant indirect effect from problem-focused coping to emotional violence through stress and burnout and favorable attitudes toward emotional violence. The findings indicate a potential role of teacher characteristics in preventing teacher emotional violence.

A system science perspective on burn-out: development of an expert-based causal loop diagram

Introduction

Burn-out leads to reduced worker well-being, long-term absenteeism, and high costs for employers and society. Determinants at different levels may affect burn-out in an interrelated and dynamic manner. The aim of the present study was to apply a broader systems perspective by exploring and visualizing the complex system of determinants at different levels (living conditions, working conditions, and societal developments) underlying the prevalence of burn-out in the Netherlands.

Methods

During three group model building (GMB) sessions with in total eight experts on workers' mental health, a causal loop diagram (CLD) was developed and relevant feedback loops were identified. For the selection of determinants to be included in the CLD a recently published overview of determinants on burn-out at different levels was used. Experts could also add factors that were not listed in the overview.

Results

The final CLD consists of 20 factors and depicts a central position of working conditions. Societal developments (e.g., access to mental health care, size of the working population, rougher social climate, etc.) were mostly located at the outside of the CLD and barely integrated in feedback loops. Several reinforcing feedback loops resulting in an increase of the prevalence of burn-out were identified in which the factors (very) high workload, imbalance between work and private life, and insufficient recovery time play an important role. Also, several balancing loops were found that visualize the crucial role of functional support from supervisors to prevent burn-out among workers.

Discussion

Applying a broader systems perspective, including determinants at different levels, offers new insights into dynamic feedback loops that contribute to the prevalence of burn-out. Supervisors, amongst others, have a considerable impact on the system underlying the high prevalence of burn-out and may therefore contribute to its prevention. Even though societal developments were less integrated in feedback loops, they might be considered drivers of existing feedback loops. The results from this study confirm that determinants at various levels underly the prevalence of burn-out. To be able to address the diversity of determinants underlying a high prevalence of burn-out, a complex system approach can be helpful.

Co-Active Coping Inventory: Development and Validation for the Chilean Population

Co-active coping is a fundamental construct in organizational and work environments as it allows for the exploration of individual and group behaviors within organizations. The aim of this study was to develop a new scale called the Co-Active Coping Inventory in the Chilean context. The sample was comprised of 1,442 workers with an average age of 30.48 years (SD = 11.13). 55% were public-sector workers, 34.5% were workers in private commercial organizations, and 10.5% belonged to non-profit private organizations. Different exploratory factor analyses were performed, and the best exploratory model was verified with a confirmatory factor analysis. In addition, multiple linear regressions were used to analyze which dimensions of co-active coping helped predict workers' burnout (emotional exhaustion, affective hardening, and personal fulfillment) and symptomatology (psychological and somatic). Based on the exploratory and confirmatory approach, the Co-Active Coping Inventory showed a good fit to a structure of five correlated factors (Reflective Action, Rash Action, Search for Spiritual Support, Search for Affective Support and Evasion), demonstrating measurement invariance in terms of sex and type of organization. The different domains of co-active coping explain between 20% (emotional exhaustion) and 41% (affective hardening) of occupational burnout and around 3-5% of workers' symptomatology, with reflective action being the most important variable. These results indicate that the new scale has suitable psychometric properties; it can assess coping strategies in the Chilean organizational context in a reliable and valid way. These coping strategies have demonstrated certain importance in relation to organizational and clinical variables.

Motivational decline and proactive response under thermal environmental stress are related to emotion- and problem-focused coping, respectively: Questionnaire construction and fMRI study

Despite the diversity of human behavioral and psychological responses to environmental thermal stress, the major dimensions of these responses have not been formulated. Accordingly, the relevance of these responses to a framework of coping with stress (i.e., emotion- and problem-focused) and the neural correlates are unexplored. In this study, we first developed a multidimensional inventory for such responses using social surveys and a factor analysis, and then examined the neural correlates of each dimension using a functional magnetic resonance imaging; we manipulated the ambient temperature between uncomfortably hot and cold, and the correlations between the inventory factor scores and discomfort-related neural responses were examined. We identified three factors to construct the inventory: motivational decline, proactive response, and an active behavior, which appeared to reflect inefficient emotion-focused coping, efficient problem-focused coping, and positive appreciation of extreme environmental temperatures, respectively, under environmental thermal stress. Motivational decline score was positively associated with common neural response to thermal stress in the frontal and temporoparietal regions, implicated in emotion regulation, while proactive response score negatively with the neural responses related to subjective discomfort in the medial and lateral parietal cortices, implicated in problem-solving. We thus demonstrated that two of three major dimensions of individual variation in response to and coping with environmental thermal stress conform to an influential two-dimensional framework of stress coping. The current three-dimensional model may expand the frontiers of meteorological human science in both basic and application domains.

The student version of the Burnout assessement tool (BAT): psychometric properties and evidence regarding measurement validity on a romanian sample

The objective of the present research was to investigate the psychometric properties and the validity of the student version of the Burnout Assessment Tool (BAT) in a Romanian undergraduate student sample. A sample of undergraduate students (N = 399, 60,70% female) from a Romanian university completed the BAT and other measures used for assessing measurement validity. Confirmatory factor analyses supported the original factor structure of the BAT, and all scales showed good internal consistency. The validity of the BAT scales was supported by their strong associations with measures of depression, anxiety, stress, psychosomatic symptoms, prospective appraisal of future tasks, and coping strategies.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12144-023-04232-w.

Burnout, Organizational Justice, Workload, and Emotional Regulation among Medical and Non-Medical Personnel Working in Romanian Healthcare Units

Background and objectives: The goal of this study was to evaluate the levels of organizational justice, emotional regulation, and workload associated with the level of burnout experienced in medical and non-medical staff from public and private medical units. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of 230 healthcare professionals, including 139 medical personnel and 91 non-medical staff respondents. The collected socio-demographic and organizational data and psychological tools were the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI HSS), the ECO System, and the emotional regulation questionnaire (ERQ). Results: For medical staff, burnout was measured in terms of emotional exhaustion (M = 27.05 ± 12.34), depersonalization (M = 8.26 ± 3.95), and personal accomplishment (M = 47.35 ± 6.78). The scores for non-medical staff were emotional exhaustion (M = 35.84 ± 14.71), depersonalization (M = 11.79 ± 6.30), and personal accomplishment (M = 44 ± 7.37). In terms of workload, higher scores were observed for non-medical staff (M = 25.43 ± 7.87), while medical staff recorded lower values (M = 20.35 ± 7.65). The scores for the cognitive reappraisal dimension were as follows: medical personnel (M = 32.02 ± 5.37) and non-medical staff (M = 31.67 ± 6.19). In terms of the expressive suppression dimension, medical staff registered at M = 17.99 ± 5.61, and non-medical staff registered at M = 17.19 ± 5.53. For organizational justice, higher scores were registered for medical staff (M = 25.87 ± 6.02) and lower scores for non-medical staff (M = 21.34 ± 5.72). Conclusions: Medical staff felt a higher sense of organizational justice than non-medical staff, as is also evidenced by the level of the workload dimension, which registers higher values for non-medical personnel. In the case of burnout, higher levels of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization dimensions were also revealed for non-medical staff and, in the case of the professional fulfillment dimension, higher scores were registered for medical staff.

The Relationship Between Coping Strategies, Compassion Satisfaction, and Compassion Fatigue During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Introduction

The rapid spread of COVID-19 poses a significant threat to nurses' lives and health, resulting in varying degrees of mental distress. Nurses may experience compassion fatigue, and their professional quality of life and satisfaction may suffer as a result. Their coping mechanisms may vary as well, influencing their compassionate and safe care.

Objectives

The study's objectives are to explore levels of compassion satisfaction and fatigue among nurses and identify their coping strategies. Further, to investigate the relationship between coping strategies, compassion satisfaction, and compassion fatigue during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

Using a descriptive correlational design, this study was conducted with a convenience sample of 443 nurses working in an Egyptian university hospital. Nurses completed the coping strategy indicator scale and the professional quality of life (compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue) scale. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and regression analysis.

Results

Nurses' professional quality of life was average in terms of compassion satisfaction (2.95 ± 0.92) and compassion fatigue (2.38 ± 0.35). Nurses have a moderate use of coping strategies (2.13 ± 0.35). Problem-solving was rated as the highest coping strategy, while avoidance was rated as the lowest. Coping strategies showed a positive correlation with compassion satisfaction (r = 0.503, p < .001) and a negative correlation with compassion fatigue (r = -0.352, p < .001). In addition, coping strategies could predict 25.4% and 12.4% of compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue, respectively (p < .001).

Conclusion

Compassion satisfaction and fatigue are key determinants of nurses' quality of work life. Coping strategies, especially problem-solving and support systems, are vital to increase compassion satisfaction and mitigate burnout and secondary stress syndrome. Nurse managers should establish supportive work environments that promote nurses' well-being. Resilience-building programs and coping strategies' training are recommended to enhance the nurses' quality of work life and positive work attitudes.

"I Constantly Feel Worn Out": Mixed-methodology Approach to Seafarers' Sleep on Board

Although seafaring is one of the most important professions for trade in goods in the 21st century, the results of recent research indicate that seafarers face various sources of stress in their work, including high workload and long working hours. These stressors can be reflected in low job satisfaction and poor mental health, which can result in sleep problems, and consequently lead to various somatic symptoms. The main goal of this mixed method research was, therefore, to expand knowledge about seafarers' sleep on board, whereby a sequential explanatory design was used. Study 1 (N = 286 male seafarers from Croatia) examined whether the number of sleep hours on board has a mediating role in explaining the relationship between job satisfaction and mental health as predictors of somatic symptoms. The results of the path analysis showed that higher job satisfaction directly and indirectly through longer sleep on board reduces the number of somatic symptoms, while better mental health directly contributes to fewer somatic symptoms. Study 2 (N = 205 seafarers from Croatia) aimed to get a deeper insight into the sleep of seafarers on board, whereby 39% (N = 80) of the participants had difficulties related to sleep problems on board. The thematic analysis of their answers (N = 76) showed the sleeping difficulties experienced by seafarers on board and gave an insight into the consequences of sleeping difficulties and the coping strategies they use. The results of this research indicate the importance of developing healthy work environments for seafarers.

Psychosocial Factors Associated with Burnout and Self-Perceived Health in Spanish Occupational Therapists

(1) Background: There are few studies of burnout syndrome (BS) in occupational therapists (OTs), and protective factors for BS have received little attention in the scientific literature. This research aimed to estimate the prevalence of BS, characterize the associated psychosocial factors, and analyze their relationship with health in a sample of Spanish OTs. (2) Methods: A total of 127 therapists completed the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and other standardized questionnaires measuring: personality traits (reduced five-factor personality inventory, NEO-FFI), coping styles (Coping Strategies Questionnaire, CAE), work-family conflict (Survey Work-Home Interaction Nijmegen, SWING), professional factors (role ambiguity/clarity and modified role conflict questionnaires), and the perception of health (Goldberg's General Health Questionnaire). Several correlational and multiple regression analyses were performed to study the psychosocial predictors of burnout and its relationship with health perceptions. (3) Results: 15.8% of the professionals presented BS, with emotional exhaustion (EE; 38.7%) being the most compromised dimension. Neuroticism, role conflict, negative work-family interaction, and open emotional expression (OE) significantly predicted a higher EE. The main predictors of cynicism (CY) were being male, role conflict, and OE. Role conflict, role ambiguity and social support-seeking were significant predictors of reduced professional efficiency (PE). (4) Conclusions: A high percentage of OTs with BS suggests the need for increased awareness of the importance of this syndrome in the health community. It would be critical to consider the protective factors (i.e., emotional management, social support) that help promote OTs' well-being and health.

A Phenomenological Understanding of Mental Health Nurses' Experiences of Self-Care: A Review of the Empirical Literature

Nurses are central to health care as the largest professional workforce and the providers of constant, ongoing care. Difficulties retaining enough qualified and motivated nurses presents an ongoing problem that threatens the quality of healthcare delivery. Demands of nursing practice, often resulting in stress and burnout, is a major barrier to retaining nurses. Self-care approaches and techniques have proven effective in reducing stress and burnout, increasing job satisfaction and the likelihood of nurses remaining in the profession. Despite knowing the benefits, nurses frequently do not engage in self-care resulting in negative consequences both personally and professionally. To advance our knowledge in this important area, a review of the literature was conducted to explore nurses' experience of self-care and how they made sense of their experiences. The literature was analysed critically and synthesised through a phenomenological lens. The identified themes were structured according to phenomenological concerns: selfhood, mood and embodiment, sociality and relatedness, temporality, spatiality, and nursing culture. Understanding self-care from a phenomenological perspective is important to forming a deeper comprehension of nurses' relationship with self-care, including acceptance and resistance. This new knowledge can be used to develop strategies to encourage self-care. The implications for recruitment and retention within nursing, and ultimately to the quality of healthcare, are significant.

Burnout and spirituality among nurses: A scoping review

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the relationship between spirituality / religiousness and Burnout Syndrome in nurses, as well as to examine the current evidence for spiritual/religious interventions to alleviate their symptoms.

DATA SOURCES

A scoping review was conducted using CINAHL, SCOPUS, Web of Science, Pubmed databases, and grey literature, between January and July 2020.

STUDY SELECTION

Two researchers performed the searches with a 95% agreement rate for the inclusion and exclusion of the studies. Both quantitative and qualitative studies published in peer-reviewed journals, using Spanish, Portuguese or English language were included. Restriction on publication date was not applied.

DATA EXTRACTION

A total of 1143 articles were identified and 18 were included in the final analysis. Quality assessment was performed, following CONSORT, STROBE, PRISMA and COREQ guidelines. Finally, the following data were extracted: authors, year, country, study design and sample characteristics, purpose of the study, and major findings.

DATA SYNTHESIS

The results of the present review show that spirituality / religiousness is a common strategy used by nurses when coping with stress and burnout. Most studies reveal that spiritual and religious beliefs are correlated with lower levels of burnout, exhaustion and depersonalization in different settings. Nevertheless, two studies have not found any relationship and one study has found worse outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a lack of experimental studies trying to examine if spiritual interventions could modify burnout levels in clinical practice. Health managers should be aware of the spirituality / religiousness of their nurses and provide the appropriate spiritual support.

Students' Emotions, Perceived Coping, and Outcomes in Response to Research-Based Challenges and Failures in Two Sequential CUREs

The ability to navigate scientific obstacles is widely recognized as a hallmark of a scientific disposition and is one predictor of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics persistence for early-career scientists. However, the development of this competency in undergraduate research has been largely underexplored. This study addresses this gap by examining introductory students' emotional and behavioral responses to research-related challenges and failures that occur in two sequential research-based courses. We describe commonly reported emotions, coping responses, and perceived outcomes and examine relationships between these themes, student demographics, and course enrollment. Students commonly experience frustration, confusion, and disappointment when coping with challenges and failures. Yet the predominance of students report coping responses likely to be adaptive in academic contexts despite experiencing negative emotions. Being enrolled in the second course of a research-based course sequence was related to several shifts in response to challenges during data collection, including less reporting of confusion and fewer reports of learning to be cautious from students. Overall, students in both the first and second courses reported many positive outcomes indicating improvements in their ability to cope with challenge and failure. We assert that educators can improve research-based educational courses by scaffolding students' research trials, failures, and iterations to support students' perseverance.

Undergraduate R Programming Anxiety in Ecology: Persistent Gender Gaps and Coping Strategies

The ability to program in R, an open-source statistical program, is increasingly valued across job markets, including ecology. The benefits of teaching R to undergraduates are abundant, but learning to code in R may induce anxiety for students, potentially leading to negative learning outcomes and disengagement. Anecdotes suggest a gender differential in programming anxiety, with women experiencing greater anxiety. Currently, we do not know the extent to which programming anxiety exists in our undergraduate biology classrooms, whether it differs by gender, and what instructors can do to alleviate it. Instructor immediacy has been shown to mediate related anxieties such as quantitative and computer anxiety. Likewise, students' use of adaptive coping strategies may mitigate anxieties. We investigated students' R anxiety within a lower-division ecology course and explored its relationships with gender, instructor immediacy, classroom engagement, and reported coping strategies. Women reported significantly higher R anxiety than men, a gap that narrowed, yet persisted over the semester. In addition, several specific coping skills were associated with decreases in R anxiety and increases in self-concept and sense of control; these differed by gender identity. Our findings can guide future work to identify interventions that lessen programming anxiety in biology classes, especially for women.

Job burnout among Israeli healthcare workers during the first months of COVID-19 pandemic: The role of emotion regulation strategies and psychological distress

The current worldwide COVID-19 pandemic has elicited widespread concerns and stress. Arguably, healthcare workers are especially vulnerable to experience burnout during these times due to the nature of their work. Indeed, high prevalence of burnout was found among healthcare workers during the outbreak. However, the individual differences predicting burnout among healthcare workers during the pandemic have been understudied. The aim of the current study was, therefore, to identify risk and protective factors contributing to the severity of burnout among healthcare workers, above and beyond levels of current psychological distress. The survey was distributed online during the period April 13–28, 2020, approximately two months after the first COVID-19 case was identified in Israel. Ninety-eight healthcare workers completed an online survey administered cross-sectionally via the Qualtrics platform that included questionnaires assessing habitual emotion regulation strategies (i.e., trait worry, reappraisal, and suppression), psychological distress, COVID-19 related concerns, and burnout. A hierarchical linear regression analysis revealed that only trait worry and psychological distress were significant predictors of job burnout among healthcare workers. These findings highlight the role of maladaptive emotion regulation tendencies, specifically trait worry, in job burnout among healthcare workers. These findings have implications for both the assessment and treatment of healthcare workers. We discuss potential mechanisms and implications for practice.

Coping Strategies for Stress Used by People Working in Managerial Positions in Schools and Educational Establishments during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Although the ability to deal with stress is one of the key competences of people working in managerial positions in schools and educational establishments, principals in this area are very poorly diagnosed. The aim of this study was to consider the coping strategies used by headmasters and deputy headmasters of schools and educational establishments during the COVID-19 pandemic. For this purpose, Mini-COPE was used. The respondents (N = 159) obtained a higher mean for “active coping”, “planning”, “positive reframing”, “acceptance”, “use of instrumental support”, “venting”, and “problem-focused strategies” than the normative value. Compared to deputy headmasters, headmasters obtained higher mean results for “planning” and “religion”, and lower results for “behavioral disengagement”. Respondents with longer job seniority in a managerial position, obtained a higher mean for “use of instrumental support” and lower for “religion”. Compared to respondents employed in private schools, people in the public education sector are more likely to use “behavioral disengagement” and less their “sense of humor”. The respondents working in primary schools scored higher on average for “use of instrumental support” and “problem-focused strategies”. It would be advisable to compare the results with the teachers and the persons holding managerial positions in institutions and organizations not related to education.

The Development of Teacher Burnout and the Effects of Resource Factors: A Latent Transition Perspective

To better understand burnout and its development, researchers have shown an increasing interest in recent years in identifying different profiles of burnout and its development process. However, there have been few longitudinal studies on the profile and development of teacher burnout. This study used a person-centred approach to explore the profiles of teacher burnout, transition probabilities and the associations between these aspects and resource factors. Data were collected from 3743 primary school teachers in a two-wave longitudinal test over three years. The results showed that teacher burnout exhibited six relatively stable profiles across the whole study population and that the transition of individual profiles over time followed a certain probability. Psychological capital and professional identity were important resource factors in reducing the occurrence of teacher burnout and increasing transition probability toward burnout symptom alleviation over time, while positive coping played an important role in reducing the occurrence of teacher ineffectiveness. Therefore, the results indicated that the overall teacher burnout profile was stable, a discovery which has important implications for conducting group interventions to benefit more teachers, while the individual burnout profile exhibited a latent transition probability over time. Interventions employing different resource factors can be adopted to alleviate the symptoms of different burnout profiles.

Suddenly Telework: Job Crafting as a Way to Promote Employee Well-Being?

COVID-19 confronted many people with an abrupt shift from their usual working environment to telework. This study explores which job characteristics are perceived as most crucial in this exceptional situation and how they differ from people's previous working conditions. Additionally, we focus on job crafting as a response to this situation and how it is related to employees' well-being. We conducted an online survey with N = 599 participants, of which 321 reported that they were telework newcomers. First, we asked participants to indicate the three most important advantages and disadvantages they see in telework. The subsequent questionnaire contained a comprehensive measure of working conditions before and during the pandemic, job crafting behaviors, and indicators of well-being. Based on the qualitative answers, we identified three major advantages and disadvantages. Quantitative results indicate perceived changes in all job characteristics for telework newcomers. Concerning working conditions and well-being, job crafting activities that aim to increase structural and social resources are important mediators. The findings underline the need to design appropriate telework conditions and encourage job crafting activities to foster occupational well-being.

To Cope or Not to Cope? Characterizing Biology Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) Coping with Teaching and Research Anxieties

Recent evidence suggests a mental health crisis among graduate students, particularly with regard to anxiety. To manage anxieties, graduate students can employ coping strategies. Coping is an individual's response(s) to external stressors, often with the goal of reducing or tolerating the stress; these strategies are generally considered adaptive or maladaptive. Adaptive coping strategies advance individuals through problems, while maladaptive strategies prevent stressors from being resolved. We previously identified differences between teaching and research anxieties in a sample of biology graduate teaching assistants (GTAs). This study investigated whether coping with these anxieties differed in this population as well. We interviewed 23 biology GTAs twice over one year. Interview data were qualitatively analyzed using Skinner and colleagues' major coping families as categories. Biology GTAs most often used adaptive coping strategies, such as problem solving and information seeking, to manage both teaching and research anxieties. However, other coping strategies were preferentially employed for either teaching or research, suggesting differences in these aspects of graduate student life. Over one year, GTAs reduced the number of coping strategies they employed. Understanding how GTAs cope with teaching and research anxieties may inform the types of support faculty and professional development leaders can provide to graduate students.

Bio-Psycho-Socio-Spirito-Cultural Factors of Burnout: A Systematic Narrative Review of the Literature

Background: Burnout is a widespread, multifactorial, and mainly psychological phenomenon. The pathogenesis of burnout is commonly described within the bio-psycho-social model of health and disease. Recent literature suggests that the phenomenon of burnout may be broader so that the three dimensions might not reflect the multifaceted and complex nature of the syndrome. Consequently, this review aims to identify the diversity of factors related to burnout, to define overarching categories based on these, and to clarify whether the bio-psycho-social model adequately describes the pathogenesis of burnout-holistically and sufficiently. Method: Five online databases (PubMed, PubPsych, PsychARTICLES, Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection, and Google Scholar) were systematically searched using defined search terms to identify relevant studies. The publication date was set between January 1981 and November 2020. Based on the selected literature, we identified factors related to burnout. We aggregated these factors into a comprehensible list and assigned them to overarching categories. Then, we assigned the factors to the dimensions of an extended model of health and disease. Results: We identified a total of 40 burnout-related factors and 10 overarching categories. Our results show that in addition to biological, psychological, and socio-environmental factors, various factors that can be assigned to a spiritual and work cultural dimension also play an important role in the onset of burnout. Conclusion: An extended bio-psycho-socio-spirito-cultural model is necessary to describe the pathogenesis of burnout. Therefore, future studies should also focus on spiritual and work cultural factors when investigating burnout. Furthermore, these factors should not be neglected in future developments of diagnosis, treatment, and prevention options.

Stress Coping Strategies, Burnout, Secondary Traumatic Stress, and Compassion Satisfaction Amongst Israeli Dentists: A Cross-sectional Study

Objective

Being a member of the dental profession is often associated with stress and high levels of burnout. Stress coping strategies may significantly help mediate burnout. The present cross-sectional study sought to examine the role of stress coping strategies on burnout, secondary traumatic stress, and compassion satisfaction amongst Israeli dentists.

Methods

The study was carried out amongst Israeli dentists with the use of the following questionnaires: (1) the Professional Quality of Life Scale 5 (ProQOL), referring to burnout, compassion satisfaction, and level of secondary traumatic stress; (2) the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations–Situation Specific Coping Inventory (CISS-SSC), referring to coping strategies (task-focused, emotion-focused, or avoidance-focused coping); and (3) demographic and professional variables (eg, specialisation, workload). Participants included 243 Israeli dentists. Univariate analyses and linear regressions were conducted to evaluate the relationships amongst coping strategies and burnout, secondary traumatic stress, and compassion satisfaction.

Results

Female dentists had higher emotion-focused and avoidance coping scores than male dentists. Burnout could be explained by higher emotion-focused coping scores and lower task-focused and avoidance-focused coping. Secondary traumatic stress could be explained by higher emotion-focused scores, having fewer years of professional experience, and younger ages. Compassion satisfaction could be explained by lower emotion-focused coping as well as by higher task-focused coping and workload scores, specialisation, and gender.

Conclusions

The findings suggest that emotional coping may cause dentists to be vulnerable to burnout and to secondary traumatic stress.

Exploring College Students' Biopsychosocial Spiritual Wellbeing and Problems during COVID-19 through a Contextual and Comprehensive Framework

College students in Kenya have experienced many mental health issues, and there is little well-grounded research on this topic. Therefore, in this current study, we aimed to explore college students’ biopsychosocial spiritual wellbeing and problems from an Ecological Systems Theory (EST) perspective. Due to lack of previous well-grounded mental health research and services, we collaborated with the college students from the beginning of the study and acted with them to shape the research. Based on all these, we called our theoretical framework for this current paper as exploring college students’ biopsychosocial spiritual wellbeing and problems from the EST perspective. We examined college students’ (N = 518) mental health experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic through six items to measure psychosomatic problems (sadness, anxiety, frustration, stress, loneliness, and withdrawal) and their coping mechanisms (talking to family/friends, physical exercise, social media, reading books, hobbies, spiritual activities, alcohol/drugs, COVID-19 information). Gender and age explained a trivial amount of variance, about 1%, in psychosomatic problems in model one. With the inclusion of the coping strategies and demographic factors (age and gender), the second model explained 24% of the variance in psychosomatic problems. In the second model, the highest effect size originated from talking to family/friends and use of social media. In addition, change in sleeping patterns, sadness, anxiety, and frustration were reported with one in three reporting “poor” or “fair” mental health. In light of the larger COVID-19 and college students’ mental health literature, we discussed the present findings and provided recommendations.

Wish-making during the COVID-19 pandemic enhances positive appraisals and job satisfaction

Guided by cognitive appraisal theory, we argue that wish-making is a conceptually distinct type of coping strategy and that wish-making during the COVID-19 pandemic has functional cognitive-affective consequences. Specifically, it facilitates positive appraisals of the pandemic, which then facilitate job satisfaction. Enhanced job satisfaction in turn reduces counterproductive work behavior during the pandemic. These arguments were tested via two empirical studies involving 546 Hong Kong employees surveyed on two consecutive working days during the pandemic. The individuals who made wishes during the pandemic reported more positive appraisals of the pandemic, which in turn promoted their job satisfaction and lowered their counterproductive work behavior. Crucially, wish-making had significant effects on positive appraisals above and beyond other coping strategies. Thus, we contribute to the employee coping literature by highlighting one relatively easy way for employees to combat the psychological effects of the pandemic (and other challenges in life) and regulate their affective well-being and behaviors at work. Namely, making wishes that envision a better future can enhance employees' job satisfaction, which in turn lowers counterproductive work behavior.

An Empirical Investigation of the Relationship Between Spirituality, Work Culture, and Burnout: The Need for an Extended Health and Disease Model

Apart from biological, psychological, and social factors, recent studies indicate that spirituality and work culture also play an important role in the onset of burnout. Hence, the commonly applied bio-psycho-social model of health and disease might not be sufficient to comprehensively explain and describe burnout. This study empirically investigates the relationship between spirituality (operationalized by perceived meaningfulness of work) and work culture (operationalized by sense of homeliness of the working environment) with burnout risk and work engagement. For this purpose, an anonymous cross-sectional data collection with fully standardized questionnaires and selected socio-demographic and work-related items was conducted among working adults (n = 439) from different industries via social media and local health service centers. For all scales and subscales, we found significant moderate to strong correlations. Furthermore, positive meaning within the perceived meaningfulness of work scale was the largest beta coefficient for burnout (β = -0.65) and work engagement (β = 0.62). Within sense of homeliness, the largest beta coefficient for burnout was needs fulfillment (β = -0.34) and work engagement emotional connection (β = 0.36). The strong associations suggest that the current health and disease model needs to be expanded to a bio-psycho-socio-spirito-cultural model to be able to sufficiently describe burnout. The perceived meaningfulness of work and a sense of homeliness should be adequately considered when examining the onset of burnout, describing burnout as a concept, and explaining work engagement.

Espacios verdes en casa: efectos positivos para la salud mental durante el confinamiento por COVID-19

En este estudio, se ha analizado la influencia de los espacios naturales/verdes conformados en el hogar, como recurso de afrontamiento ante las repercusiones que sobre la salud mental (nivel de estrés, depresión, ansiedad, hostilidad y alegría) tiene el estado de confinamiento derivado de la pandemia por coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. Para ello, una muestra de 337 participantes españoles respondieron, durante el periodo de confinamiento, a un cuestionario sobre variables estructurales de su vivienda, sobre sus estados emocionales y sobre la frecuencia con la que hacían determinadas pautas o rutinas conductuales como recursos de afrontamiento. Los resultados hallados ponen de manifiesto que las personas con disponibilidad de zonas verdes en sus hogares, ponían en marcha mayores estrategias de afrontamiento y presentaban estados emocionales más positivos, que aquellas que no disponían de espacios verdes en sus hogares. Se evidencia el efecto positivo y restaurador de la naturaleza ante la experiencia del confinamiento, así como el papel del mantenimiento de rutinas conductuales para preservar la salud mental.

Psychometric Evaluation of the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory for Nursing Students

BACKGROUND

Higher education students, especially nursing students, have drawn more attention as a group that is vulnerable to the risk of developing burnout syndrome.

PURPOSE

To test the psychometric properties of the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory in Nursing (OLBI-N).

METHODS

The OLBI-N validity and reliability was tested in a sample of 476 nursing students. The validity was assessed with explorative and confirmative factor analyses. For hypothesis testing, we evaluated the correlation between burnout and academic self-efficacy.

RESULTS

Two factors (exhaustion and disengagement) were identified, and the confirmative factor analysis of the OLBI-N yielded a good fit. The OLBI-N was significantly correlated with academic self-efficacy (r = .29, -.37, p < .01).

CONCLUSIONS

The OLBI-N is a valid, reliable questionnaire for measuring burnout among nursing students.

Work burnout and coping strategies among Egyptian forensic physicians: a national study

Background

Forensic physicians are confronted daily with highly stressful and traumatic duties. With repeated exposure, they are at risk of psychological distress, especially burnout. The current study’s objective was to measure the prevalence of burnout and its associated factors among Egyptian forensic physicians, describe their coping strategies, and the correlation between burnout levels and coping strategies. A cross-sectional study on Egyptian forensic physicians was carried out using a self-administered questionnaire. It included personal and occupational data, Maslach Burnout Inventory, and the Brief COPE Inventory. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify significant independent predictors of burnout. The correlation between burnout and coping was examined.

Results

Moderate/high levels of burnout were scored by 72.9 %, 51.9%, and 75.9% of forensic physicians in the emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment subscales, respectively. The significant independent predictors of high emotional exhaustion were being a forensic examiner (AOR, 3.1; 95% CI, 1.3–7.6) and facing stressful job duties more than five times per month (AOR, 4.4; 95% CI, 1.6–12.3). The predictor of high depersonalization was being a forensic examiner (AOR, 22.8; 95% CI, 8.0–64.8), and for low personal accomplishment was being a female (AOR, 3.0; 95% CI, 1.3–6.8). The most frequent coping strategies adopted by forensic physicians were adaptive coping.

Conclusions

Egyptian forensic physicians have a high prevalence of burnout. Forensic examiners, females with high exposure to stressful duties are more likely to have high burnout levels. Thus, psychoeducation and psychological support services should be applied and made easily accessible to them.

The Relationship Between Spiritual Well-Being and Burnout in Collegiate Athletic Trainers

CONTEXT

Spiritual well-being is the expression of one's spirituality as measured in the dimensions of existential and religious well-being. The Smith Cognitive Affective Model of Athletic Burnout suggests that personality factors such as spiritual well-being and the use of religious coping methods may affect burnout as well as its causes and outcomes. This has not been examined in collegiate athletic trainers (ATs).

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the relationship between spiritual well-being and burnout in collegiate ATs.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

SETTING

Web-based survey.

PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS

A total of 783 certified ATs employed full time in the collegiate setting participated. Part-time employees (eg, graduate assistants, interns) were excluded.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S)

A 100-item online questionnaire was created for this study. It used items from previously developed scales, including the Spiritual Well-Being Scale, the Brief RCOPE, the Maslach Burnout Inventory, and substance-use questions from the Monitoring the Future study. Participants were able to complete the survey in approximately 10-15 minutes. Multiple regression analyses were used to analyze survey data. We mapped all independent (existential well-being, religious well-being, positive and negative religious coping) and dependent variables (situational variables, Maslach Burnout Inventory burnout subscales, substance use, and intention to leave) onto the Smith Cognitive-Affective Model of Athletic Burnout to determine which variables altered burnout levels, substance use, and intention to leave. Tests of mediation or moderation were conducted when appropriate.

RESULTS

Existential well-being was a significant positive predictor of social support and a significant negative predictor of work-family conflict, decreased sense of personal accomplishment, emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, intention to leave the profession, and binge drinking. Existential well-being also served as a mediator or moderator in several components of the model.

CONCLUSIONS

Existential well-being was a protective factor against burnout as well as some of the causes and effects of burnout in collegiate ATs.

The Value of Measuring Diabetes Burnout

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Diabetes represents a chronic illness with significant physical and psychological morbidities. This review aims to summarize current conceptualizations of diabetes burnout in individuals with diabetes and describe its associated adverse outcomes in this population while proposing possible mechanisms of action and targets of intervention.

RECENT FINDINGS

"Diabetes burnout" may result in adverse long-term outcomes including poor treatment compliance, diabetes complications, and depression. Diabetes burnout may impact not only individuals, but also providers, and caregivers and family members of affected individuals. Diabetes burnout may results from sustained cognitive stresses of chronic treatment adherence, assessment of realistic treatment goals, and treatment challenges. Early screening and interdisciplinary approaches for patient-centered diabetes care are critical for sustained diabetes social support. Future work exploring these approaches may identify early support and targeted interventions for the long-term support of individuals with diabetes.

Zelf-geïnitieerde acties van werknemers om burn-out te voorkomen: kruisvalidatie van de Vragenlijst Proactief Burn-outpreventiegedrag (VPB) – een replicatieonderzoek

Burn-out heeft nadelige gevolgen voor zowel werknemers als werkgevers. Preventie van burn-out is dan ook van groot belang. Onderzoek naar burn-outpreventie programma’s heeft zich voornamelijk gericht op interventies geïnitieerd door werkgevers; minder bekend is welke acties werknemers zelf ondernemen om een burn-out te voorkomen. De bevindingen uit een eerdere exploratieve interviewstudie lieten zien dat werknemers proactief gedrag kunnen vertonen om burn-out te voorkomen. Dit gedrag is niet alleen gericht op het werk, maar ook op factoren in het thuis- en persoonlijke domein. Dit artikel beschrijft de kruisvalidatie van een recent ontwikkeld instrument dat meet in welke mate werknemers zelf actie ondernemen om burn-out te voorkomen: de Vragenlijst Proactieve Burn-outpreventiegedrag (VPB). Op basis van gegevens van twee cross-sectionele steekproeven (N1 = 236, N2 = 235) werden exploratieve en confirmatieve factoranalyses uitgevoerd die de factorvaliditeit van het instrument bevestigden. Aanvullende correlatieanalyses lieten zien dat het concept zoals verwacht een positieve samenhang vertoonde met zelfeffectiviteit en een negatieve samenhang met burn-out. De bevindingen suggereren dat proactief burn-outpreventiegedrag op een betrouwbare en valide wijze kan worden gemeten. Indien dit gedrag in vervolgonderzoek effectief blijkt te zijn, is het ontwikkelen en implementeren van een interventie om dit zelf-geïnitieerde gedrag te stimuleren een logische vervolgstap.

Factors Affecting Burnout Among Medical Assistants

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Medical assistants-key professionals supporting physician practices-have not been studied with regard to burnout and professional fulfillment, which may affect other healthcare professionals. This study examined the factors associated with burnout among medical assistants in an academic healthcare organization while validating the use of a tool previously used to assess burnout in physicians. Using portions of the Professional Fulfillment Index (PFI) and questions designed for this mixed methods study, medical assistants employed across Stanford Health Care were surveyed. The authors assessed demographic characteristics and the impact of control, organizational culture, team knowledge, self-efficacy, and professional fulfillment/meaningfulness on burnout. Of the 505 eligible participants, 261 (52%) completed the survey; 76% were women. The study validated the PFI for use with this population and validated three additional scales. Burnout was found to be low among medical assistants (M = 2.32); professional fulfillment/meaningfulness of work was found to be high (M = 4.08). Organizational culture, professional fulfillment, and self-efficacy were found to be predictors of burnout (R2 = 0.438), with negative perceptions of organizational culture as the strongest predictor of burnout among medical assistants (β = -0.34). These results indicate that a survey tool is useful in understanding components of burnout and professional fulfillment in this population. Although limited to one site, this study could be replicated in other organizations.

'Don't show that you're scared': resilience in providing healthcare in a UK low-to-medium secure hospital

Background: Healthcare provision within specialist hospitals is associated with heightened levels of stress and burnout, risking negative implications for employees, organisations, and patients. Minimal research has focused on lower-skilled worker experiences. This study explores frontline care workers’ experience and perceptions of providing care within a low-to-medium secure hospital within the UK.

Method: Eight semi-structured interviews were conducted with healthcare assistants and mental health nurses (18–65 years) at a low-to-medium secure hospital. Thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006) was used to analyse the data.

Results: Three main themes are proposed: ‘Resilience to threat’ capturing the daily occurrence and normalisation of threat; ‘Need for support’ shows peer to peer talk as the primary coping mechanism but importantly, a possible disconnect between perceptions, and provision, of organisational support; finally, ‘Unique environment’ highlights the dual aspect of providing care and correction whilst coping with common challenges e.g. staff shortages.

Conclusions: Results provide insight into the pressures experienced by frontline healthcare workers alongside staff motivation to ‘make a difference’. Findings highlight some unique challenges of working in low-to-medium secure hospitals which contributes to negative outcomes for worker engagement, performance, and individuals’ mental and physical health. Implications for organisations and future practice are discussed.

Burnout among Probation Officers in Poland and the Role of Preferred Styles of Coping with Stress

The current article examined the relationship between preferred styles of coping with stress and occupational burnout among probation officers in Poland. The probation system in Poland is unique in comparison to similar organizations in Europe and the world. It is characterized by two separate specializations in the area of performed tasks: probation officers for adults and for family and juvenile clients. The main purpose of the study was to assess the relationship between occupational burnout levels among probation officers (n = 390) and their preferred styles of coping with stress. Two psychological tools were used in the study: the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS). A linear regression analysis was carried out to explain the variance in occupational burnout. Occupational burnout was the dependent variable and the CISS scales were the predictors. In order to test the moderating role of the sociodemographic factors of gender, work experience, age, and probation specialization in the relationship between coping styles and occupational burnout, a range of moderation analyses using Hayes’ PROCESS macro on SPSS was carried out.

How the Lagged and Accumulated Effects of Stress, Coping, and Tasks Affect Mood and Fatigue during Nurses' Shifts

Nurses experience significant stress and emotional exhaustion, leading to burnout and fatigue. This study assessed how the nurses' mood and fatigue evolves during their shifts, and the temporal factors that influence these phenomena. Performing a two-level design with repeated measures with moments nested into a person level, a random sample of 96 nurses was recruited. The ecological momentary assessment of demand, control, effort, reward, coping, and nursing tasks were measured in order to predict mood and fatigue, studying their current, lagged, and accumulated effects. The results show that: (1) Mood appeared to be explained by effort, by the negative lagged effect of reward, and by the accumulated effort, each following a quadratic trend, and it was influenced by previously executing a direct care task. By contrast, fatigue was explained by the current and lagged effect of effort, by the lagged effect of reward, and by the accumulated effort, again following quadratic trends. (2) Mood was also explained by problem-focused and emotion-focused coping strategies, indicative of negative mood, and by support-seeking and refusal coping strategies. (3) Fatigue was also associated with direct care and the prior effect of documentation and communication tasks. We can conclude that mood and fatigue do not depend on a single factor, such as workload, but rather on the evolution and distribution of the nursing tasks, as well as on the stress during a shift and how it is handled. The evening and night shifts seem to provoke more fatigue than the other work shifts when approaching the last third of the shift. These data show the need to plan the tasks within a shift to avoid unfinished or delayed care during the shift, and to minimize accumulated negative effects.

Coping strategies as mediators in the relation between perceived social support and job burnout among Chinese firefighters

Perceived social support is a known factor in preventing job burnout in many professions. However, the influence of coping strategies on perceived social support and job burnout remains unclear. The current study investigated firefighters using data from a two-wave study to fill this gap in knowledge. Chinese firefighters (N = 340) participated in the study for 3-months. Results indicated that perceived social support at baseline predicted job burnout at the 3-month follow-up through coping strategies. We concluded that perceived social support acts through positive coping strategies to reduce job burnout in Chinese firefighters.

Coping With COVID-19: Emergency Stress, Secondary Trauma and Self-Efficacy in Healthcare and Emergency Workers in Italy

Coping with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a significant risk factor for the psychological distress of health workers. Hence, this study explores the relationship between coping strategies used by healthcare and emergency workers in Italy to manage the stress factors related to the COVID-19 emergency, which may result in the risk of developing secondary trauma. We study differences between healthcare (n = 121) and emergency workers (n = 89) in terms of their coping strategies, emergency stress, and secondary trauma, as well as the relationships of these differences to demographic variables and other stress factors (Instructions and Equipment). For this purpose, we collected data from participants through the following questionnaires online: Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale - Italian Version, The Coping Self-Efficacy Scale - Short Form, an original questionnaire on stressors, and the Emergency Stress Questionnaire (to assess organizational-relational, physical, decisional inefficacy, emotional, cognitive, and COVID-19 stress). We performed a t-test, correlational analysis, and hierarchical regression. The analyses reveal that compared with the emergency worker group, the health worker group has greater levels of emergency stress and arousal and is more willing to use problem-focused coping. Healthcare workers involved in the treatment of COVID-19 are exposed to a large degree of stress and could experience secondary trauma; hence, it is essential to plan prevention strategies for future pandemic situations. Moreover, individual efficacy in stopping negative emotions and thoughts could be a protective strategy against stress and secondary trauma.

Job Demands-Resources theory and self-regulation: new explanations and remedies for job burnout

Background: High job demands and low job resources may cause job strain and eventually result in burnout. However, previous research has generally ignored the roles of time and self-regulation. Objectives: This theoretical article synthesizes the literature to propose a multilevel model that delineates how acute job strain translates into enduring and severe job burnout. Methods: We integrate self-regulation perspectives in job demands-resources (JD-R) theory to propose that short-term job strain and eventually enduring burnout is the result of consistently high job demands and low job resources - combined with failed self-regulation. Results: The model shows that when employees are confronted with increased job strain, they are more likely to use maladaptive self-regulation strategies, such as coping inflexibility and self-undermining. In addition, when job strain increases, employees are less likely to use adaptive self-regulation strategies, such as job stress recovery and job crafting. It follows that when the job becomes more stressful, stable resources become more important. Organizational resources such as human resource practices and healthy leadership may help employees to regulate their short-term fatigue and avoid enduring burnout. Furthermore, key personal resources like emotional intelligence and proactive personality may help employees to recognize and regulate their fatigue in an effective way. Conclusion: The proposed model of burnout expands JD-R theory and offers important practical implications for the prevention and reduction of burnout.