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

Prevalence of Academic Burnout Among Nursing Students: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

Nursing students are prone to academic burnout (AB) as the result of frequent exposure to stressful situations. AB is associated with physical and mental health problems; thus, identifying the burden of AB is crucial for prevention. This review sought to estimate the global prevalence of AB among nursing students.

METHOD

PubMed, Web of Science, EBSCO, SciELO, CUIDEN, LILACS, and BASE databases were searched. The prevalence of AB was estimated using random effects meta-analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 34 studies (n = 9,554 students) were included. The pooled prevalence of AB was 35% (95% CI [24%, 47%]; n = 23 studies), with the highest prevalence (58%) observed in Asia. The pooled prevalence of high emotional exhaustion, high depersonalization, and low personal accomplishment was 40%, 23%, and 30%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

AB is more common than previously estimated among nursing students. Academic institutions should consider AB in their core curriculum. [J Nurs Educ. 2024;63(8):533-539.].

The foundations of mind-body medicine: Love, good relationships, and happiness modulate stress and promote health

Although stress is an everyday fact of life, it can lead to poor health outcomes, particularly when intense or prolonged. However, humans have unique cognitive abilities and thus may be able to combat stress by engaging critical psychological defence mechanisms. In this review, we discuss the field of mind-body medicine, which focuses on improving our understanding of the mechanisms underlying this response and developing interventions that might be used to limit the effects of chronic stress. We review the findings of past and current research in this field that has focused on the impact of psychological, emotional, and behavioural factors, including love, social connectedness, and happiness on human health and the amelioration of pain as well as other signs and symptoms of disease. While these studies have not yet led to confirmed, quantifiable conclusions, the overall weight of evidence suggests that happiness (defined as a personal sense of well-being) may be directly associated with improved health parameters and reductions in debilitating symptoms. Collectively, these findings suggest that interventions designed to promote stress mitigation, notably those that encourage social activity, may lead to significant improvements in human health.

Effects of standardized mindfulness programs on burnout: a systematic review and original analysis from randomized controlled trials

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), burnout is a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic occupational stress that has not been successfully managed. It is characterized by emotional exhaustion, cynicism toward work, and a lack of personal accomplishment at work. Recent WHO guidelines on mental health suggest that mindfulness could have beneficial effects in a professional environment, but to the best of our knowledge, there is currently no study that has made a large inventory of research focused specifically on the effects of standardized programs on burnout. Which professional populations have already been studied? What are the characteristics of the programs? Have studies shown a significant effect and on what indicator?

Objective

To assess the effects of standardized programs of mindfulness on burnout, we carried out a systematic review using an exhaustive inventory of the international literature based on randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

Methods

The articles were selected according to PRISMA recommendations. The Embase, PubMed/MEDLINE, EBSCOhost, HAL databases were searched with the keywords "mindfulness," "burnout," and "randomized" in the title and abstract of each article. The data were all collected in an Excel spreadsheet and analyzed in pivot tables, which were then presented in graphs and maps.

Results

A total of 49 RCTs were thus selected, the majority of which were of good methodological quality, of American origin (43% of studies), concerned professionals in the health sector (64% of participants included), and mostly women (76%). The RCTs assessed the effects of 31 different mindfulness programs, mostly with the Maslach Burnout Inventory (78% of RCTs). More than two-thirds of RCTs (67%) showed a significant beneficial effect on burnout measurement indicators, with emotional exhaustion being the most impacted component.

Conclusion

This systematic review shows that mindfulness-based interventions could be approaches of choice to prevent emotional distress of burnout. Further studies are still needed to determine which type of program is best suited to impact the two other components of burnout.

Prevalence and associated factors of burnout among working adults in Southeast Asia: results from a public health assessment

The COVID-19 pandemic has spotlighted the mental health crisis among employees worldwide. However, burnout research is often industry- or occupation-specific, and limited knowledge currently exists on the prevalence of burnout in the general working population of Southeast Asia. This study aims to examine the prevalence of employee burnout and its associated factors among working adults in Southeast Asia using secondary data. 4,338 full-time employees aged 18-65 years old living in Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, and Indonesia were assessed for burnout, depression, anxiety, stress, and sociodemographic characteristics as part of an online public health assessment in October 2022. The prevalence of burnout in the region was 62.91%. Burnout was highest among employees in the Philippines (70.71%) and lowest in Malaysia (58.13%). Experiencing burnout was associated with severe or extremely severe depression (AOR = 6.48 [95% CI = 5.06-8.33]), anxiety (AOR = 2.22 [1.74-2.85]), and stress (AOR = 5.51 [4.13-7.39]). Working more than 50 hours a week (AOR = 1.38 [1.04-1.82]) and being very dissatisfied with the job led to higher odds of burnout (AOR = 16.46 [8.99-30.53]). Alarmingly, more than half of working adults in the region are reporting increased levels of burnout, and improving employee mental health and work conditions may be key to improving employee burnout in the region. Findings contribute to existing research on burnout prevalence in the region and provide more comprehensive insights into understanding the factors driving employee burnout in the working population of Southeast Asia 2 years after the onset of the pandemic.

The ABC Model of Happiness-Neurobiological Aspects of Motivation and Positive Mood, and Their Dynamic Changes through Practice, the Course of Life

Simple Summary

This article proposes a new model for exploring happiness primarily from a neurobiological perspective. Such understanding includes the dynamics of positive mood states and how they change throughout life. Happiness is not a cognitive construct: it is an immediate emotional experience—a feeling that relies on neurophysiological activation in the brain’s reward system. With this in mind, three types of happiness are proposed: (A) wanting, approaching, and pleasure, (B) avoiding, departing, and relief, (C) non-wanting, staying, and satisfaction. Behind this is a sophisticated (neuro)biological dynamic, ranging from the search for autonomy and ecstasy, which is particularly characteristic of young people, to the way we cope with stress, as we find it pronounced in the middle-aged, to deep contentment, peace, and inner joy, as it is mainly attributed to older people. Paradoxically, it is in fact the elderly who appear to be the happiest and most content—this phenomenon is also known as the “satisfaction paradox”. Apparently, these dynamic changes in happiness can be amplified with practice. Happiness is biological in this context, but can still be “learned”. Contemplative practices can serve as an example here to demonstrate this trainability, and they may themselves influence the course of happiness.

Abstract

Background: Happiness is a feeling, an immediate experience, not a cognitive construct. It is based on activity in the brain’s neurobiological reward and motivation systems, which have been retained in evolution. This conceptual review provides an overview of the basic neurobiological principles behind happiness phenomena and proposes a framework for further classification. Results: Three neurobiologically distinct types of happiness exist: (A) wanting, (B) avoiding, and (C) non-wanting. Behind these types lies a dynamic gradation, ranging from the more youthful anticipation, pleasure and ecstasy (A), to stress processing, escape and relief (B) as we find them accentuated in the middle-aged, to deep satisfaction, quiescence and inner joy (C), which is particularly attributed to older people. As a result, the development of happiness and satisfaction over the course of life typically takes the form of a U-curve. Discussion: The outlined triad and dynamic of happiness leads to the paradoxical finding that the elderly seem to be the happiest—a phenomenon that is termed “satisfaction paradox”. This assumed change in happiness and contentment over the life span, which includes an increasing “emancipation” from the idea of good health as a mandatory prerequisite for happiness and contentment, can itself be changed—it is trainable. Conclusions: Programs for mindfulness, contemplation, or stress reduction, including positive psychology and mind–body/behavioral medicine training, seem to be capable of influencing the course happiness over time: Happiness can be shaped through practice.

Loneliness and social support as key contributors to burnout among Canadians workers in the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study

Objective

COVID‐19 has dramatically affected Western Society's relationship with work and contributed to increased worker burnout. Existing studies on burnout have mostly emphasized workplace culture, leadership, and employee engagement as key contributors to burnout. In this cross‐sectional study, we examine the associations between Malach‐Pines Short Burnout Measure (MPSBM) scores and participant's self reported personal characteristics, financial strain, workplace conditions, work‐life balance, and social inclusion among Canadians living during the third wave of the COVID‐19 pandemic.

Methods

To identify the most salient correlates of burnout, Canadian residents, aged 16+, were recruited using paid social media advertisements in French and English to complete a cross‐sectional study. Multivariable linear regression and dominance analysis identified the most salient correlates of MPSBM scores. Exposure variables included demographic factors, financial strain, workplace conditions, work‐life balance, social support, and loneliness.

Results

Among 486 participants, family social support (adjusted β = −0.14, 95%CI = −0.23, −0.05), emotional loneliness (adjusted β = 0.26, 95% CI = 0.18, 0.35), insufficient sleep (adjusted β = 0.38, 95% CI = 0.16, 0.60) and “me time” (adjusted β = 0.22, 95% CI = 0.03, 0.42), and indicators of financial security (e.g., owning vs renting; adjusted β = −0.36, 95% CI = −0.54, −0.17; insufficient pay: adjusted β = −0.36, 95% CI = −0.54, −0.17) were key burnout indicators. People with a bachelor's degree (vs ≤high school diploma; adjusted β = 0.29, 95% CI = 0.01, 0.58) also had higher burnout scores.

Conclusion

Interventions addressing workplace culture, leadership, and other proximal workplace stressors, while important, are likely insufficient to meet the needs of workers. Our findings suggest that broader, holistic multicomponent approaches that address multiple upstream dimensions of health—including mental health—are likely necessary to prevent and reduce burnout.