The Relationship between Flow Experience and Burnout Symptoms: A Systematic Review

Strategies of Well-being Training and Resilience

As cardiothoracic surgeons, we face frequent challenges to our well-being and our ability to function as our best selves. Building personal resilience is an important way to help us manage these challenges. Here, the authors outline the scope of the problem, the consequences of burnout, and offer 4 strategies to train ourselves to be more resilient: (1) Pursuit of fulfillment, (2) Cultivation of community and belonging, (3) Mitigation of microstresses and avoiding feelings of overwhelm, and (4) Building a "resilience bank account."

An empirical study on the relationship between rider recreational specialization, individual-environment fit, and heart flow experience

The aim of the study is to create and validate a model of the relationship between specialization in leisure activities, the individual's adaptation to the environment and the heart flow experience. In order to clarify the role of the individual's adaptation to the environment in the relationship between specialization in leisure activities and the heart flow experience. The study utilized purposive sampling, cluster sampling, and random sampling. Using questionnaires and interviews to survey 525 cycling enthusiasts. Descriptive analysis, model construction and testing of the constructed path relationships were conducted using SPSS 20.0 and Amos 20.0. The results indicate that the model of the relationship between recovery specialization, individual-environment fit and heart flow experience has a good overall fit. The model shows good reliability and validity. Cyclists' recreational specialization has a statistically significant effect on individual-environment fit (β = 0.38, P < 0.001). The fit between individual and environment has a statistically significant influence on the heart flow experience (β = 0.39, P < 0.001). The fit between individual and environment serves as a mediating variable between recreational specialization and the heart flow experience, with the path showing statistical significance (β = 0.15, P < 0.001). Recreational specialization has a statistically significant effect on the heart flow experience (β = 0.30, P < 0.001). And the overall path of the effects of recreational specialization of cyclists on the fit between individual and environment is (β = 0.45, P < 0.001), with the path showing statistical significance.

Conclusion

The stronger the recreational specialization of cyclists and the greater the fit between individual and environment, the stronger their heart flow experience. The fit between individual and environment plays a partially mediating role.

The mediating role of flow state between recovery and energy levels: An experience sampling method study

This study uses a resource perspective that combines theories used commonly to explore recovery experiences as a theoretical framework and investigate the effects of recovery at the beginning of the workday on exhaustion and vigour at the end of the workday, with workflow in the morning as a mediator. An experience sampling method was used to collect data from 84 fulltime employees. Participants received three survey links each workday over a 2-week period, resulting in 837 days-level and 2517 data points. Hierarchical linear regression was used to test hypotheses, with results suggesting that greater recovery at the beginning of the workday correlated negatively with exhaustion and positively with vigour at the end of the workday. Recovery at the beginning correlated positively with flow state in the morning, and flow state correlated positively with vigour at the end of the workday. Flow state in the morning mediated the relationship between recovery level at the beginning and vigour at the end of the workday. These findings suggest the importance of recovery and the effects of flow state on employees' vigour.

How Job Stress Affect Flow Experience at Work: The Masking and Mediating Effect of Work-Related Rumination

This study proposes and tests a theoretical model of how two types of stressors (challenge and hindrance stressors) elicit perseverative cognition processes in individuals (as characterized by two types of work-related rumination), and how, through this mechanism, these stressors can further affect individuals' flow experience at work. Our model is largely supported by structural equation modeling analyses of a longitudinal questionnaire-based survey (n = 344). We find that challenge stressors have a significant, positive, direct impact on the experience of flow. Additionally, both challenge and hindrance stressors simultaneously activate problem-solving pondering and affective rumination in employees; affective rumination inhibits flow, while problem-solving pondering promotes flow. The results of a bootstrap sampling analysis further indicate the presence of the masking and mediating effects of work-related rumination in the effects of these stressors on flow experience. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.

Can flow proneness be protective against mental and cardiovascular health problems? A genetically informed prospective cohort study

Flow is a phenomenon where one experiences optimal challenge, marked by an intense, effortless, and rewarding concentration on a task. Past research shows that flow proneness is associated with good mental and cardiovascular health. However, this research has been primarily cross-sectional, based on self-report data, and has not controlled for potential confounding effects of neuroticism. In a large, longitudinal twin sample (N = 9361), we used nationwide patient registry data to test whether flow proneness predicted registry-based diagnoses of depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, stress-related disorders, or cardiovascular diseases. We used survival analyses taking time to diagnosis into account to test if (a) there is a relationship between flow proneness and health diagnoses over time, (b) neuroticism confounds this relationship, and (c) the relationship remains present within discordant monozygotic twin pairs (N = 952), thereby controlling for genetic and shared environmental confounding. Individuals with higher flow proneness had a decreased risk of receiving diagnoses for depression (16%; CI [14%, 18%]), anxiety (16%; CI [13%, 18%]), schizophrenia (15%; CI [4%, 25%]), bipolar (12%; CI [6%, 18%]), stress-related (9%; CI [9%, 12%]), and cardiovascular disorders (4%; CI [1%, 8%]). When controlling for neuroticism, higher flow proneness still decreased the risk of depression (6%; CI [3%, 9%]) and anxiety diagnoses (5%; CI [1%, 8%]). Monozygotic twins who experienced more flow than their co-twin had a lower risk for depression (16%; CI [5%, 26%]) and anxiety (13%; CI [1%, 24%]), though only the association with depression remained significant when also controlling for neuroticism (13%; CI [1%, 24%]). Findings are in line with a causal protective role of flow experiences on depression and potentially anxiety and highlight that neuroticism and familial factors are notable confounding factors in observed associations between flow proneness and health outcomes.

Burnout syndrome in Spanish, Portuguese and Latin American ophthalmologists: a cross-sectional analysis

PURPOSE

Despite the well-known consequences of burnout syndrome, there has been little research into this syndrome in the field of ophthalmology. Our objective is to determine the frequency of burnout syndrome between Spanish, Portugal and Latin-American ophthalmologists, as well as to analyse its relationship with different sociodemographic variables.

METHODS

This is an observational cross-sectional descriptive study including ophthalmologists from Spain, Portugal and 15 Latin American countries. Burnout syndrome was evaluated by the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey. Burnout syndrome was defined as high emotional exhaustion, high depersonalization or low personal accomplishment. In addition, we recorded sociodemographic variables and aspects related to the type of work. A conditional backwards stepwise multivariate binomial logistic regression analysis was run to assess the variables associated with burnout syndrome, expressed as an odds ratio (OR).

RESULTS

A total of 527 surveys were analysed, the majority from Spain (401; 76.1%), followed by Argentina (45; 8.5%), and Mexico (31; 5.9%). The number of ophthalmologists with burnout syndrome was 351 (66.6%). The results show the profile of a young ophthalmologist (age OR 0.985), carrying out a public activity (OR 2.118) and dedicated to general ophthalmology (OR 1.860).

CONCLUSIONS

The frequency detected in this study confirms a steady increase in rates of burnout among ophthalmologists. As the consequences of this are well known, it is vital for health centre managers to develop a strategic plan to allow the causes to be understood better and to implement steps to improve the situation in each medical centre.

Are algorithmically controlled gig workers deeply burned out? An empirical study on employee work engagement

BACKGROUND

With the emergence of the gig economy as a new economic form, the influence of algorithmic technology control on gig workers' perceptions and engagement has become a topic of academic concern. This study explores the emotional impact of perceived algorithmic control on gig workers and how it affects their work engagement.

METHODS

This study takes gig workers as the research object to build a structural equation model. Based on the background of gig economy and the Job Demands-Resources model, this paper constructs a mechanism model of the influence of perceived algorithmic control on the work engagement of gig workers. The research data in this paper are collected by questionnaire, and the research hypothesis is tested by the SEM structural model.

RESULTS

The gig workers in this study believed that perceived algorithmic control positively affects employee work engagement. In addition, burnout was positively correlated with employee work engagement. Burnout played a partial mediating role in the relationship between perceived algorithmic control and employee work engagement. And flow experience played a moderating role through the indirect effect of burnout on employees' work engagement.

CONCLUSION

Perceived algorithmic control causes burnout among gig workers, but strong algorithmic technology support provides them with rich work resources that can help them meet their work needs. That is, the gig workers may still demonstrate a high level of work engagement even if they experience burnout symptoms.

Identifying the communication of burnout syndrome on the Twitter platform from the individual, organizational, and environmental perspective

Addressing the escalating prevalence of burnout syndrome, which affects individuals across various professions and domains, is becoming increasingly imperative due to its profound impact on personal and professional aspects of employees' lives. This paper explores the intersection of burnout syndrome and human resource management, recognizing employees as the primary assets of organizations. It emphasizes the growing importance of nurturing employee well-being, care, and work-life balance from a human resource management standpoint. Employing social media analysis, this study delves into Twitter-based discourse on burnout syndrome, categorizing communication into three distinct dimensions: individual, organizational, and environmental. This innovative approach provides fresh insights into interpreting burnout syndrome discourse through big data analysis within social network analysis. The methodology deployed in this study was predicated upon the enhanced Social Media Analysis based on Hashtag Research framework and frequency, topic and visual analysis were conducted. The investigation encompasses Twitter communication from January 1st, 2019, to July 31st, 2022, comprising a dataset of 190,770 tweets. Notably, the study identifies the most frequently used hashtags related to burnout syndrome, with #stress and #mentalhealth leading the discussion, followed closely by #selfcare, #wellbeing, and #healthcare. Moreover, a comprehensive analysis unveils seven predominant topics within the discourse on burnout syndrome: organization, healthcare, communication, stress and therapy, time, symptoms, and leadership. This study underscores the evolving landscape of burnout syndrome communication and its multifaceted implications for individuals, organizations, and the broader environment, shedding light on the pressing need for proactive interventions. In organizations at all levels of management, the concept of burnout should be included in the value philosophy of organizations and should focus on organizational aspects, working hours and work-life balance for a healthier working environment and well-being of employees at all levels of management.

Protecting healthcare workers' mental health against COVID-19-related stress: The effects of stress mindset and psychological resilience

Healthcare workers have been on the frontline of the battle against COVID-19 disease. However, this has taken a toll on them, resulting in elevated stress and poor mental health. We argue that healthcare workers' stress mindset and resilience could mitigate negative outcomes of COVID-19-related stress by helping them view this stressful situation in a more positive light and appraise it as a challenge rather than a threat. Accordingly, we hypothesized that both a stress-is-enhancing mindset about COVID-19-related stress and resilience would improve healthcare workers' appraisal of their personal resources and increase their challenge appraisals, positively contributing to their mental health. We collected data from 160 healthcare workers and performed structural equation modeling for hypothesis testing. The results indicate that both a stress-is-enhancing mindset about COVID-19-related stress and psychological resilience are indirectly related to better mental well-being and lower health-related anxiety through challenge appraisals. This study contributes to research in mental health by suggesting that protecting and promoting healthcare workers' mental health is possible by empowering them through increasing personal resources such as a positive mindset about stressful situations and resilience.

Emotional distress and burnout at a fever clinic in China: Comparison between different periods of COVID-19

Background

Frontline healthcare workers (FHWs) experienced psychological stress and heavy workload during COVID-19 pandemic. This study examined the psychological symptoms and occupational burnout of FHWs in a fever clinic during different periods of the pandemic.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey of FHWs in the fever clinic of a tertiary hospital was carried out during both the outbreak period and regular period of COVID-19. Psychological measurement instruments including Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item, the 9-Question Patient Health Questionnaire, the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Service Survey, and the General Self-Efficacy Scale were used to evaluate anxiety, depression, burnout, and self-efficacy, respectively. The correlation between clinical variables was explored.

Results

A total of 162 participants were involved in this study, including 118 FHWs during the outbreak period (Group 1) and 44 FHWs during the regular period (Group 2). Anxiety symptoms were more prevalent in Group 2 (x2 = 27.477) while depressive symptoms were significantly more prevalent in Group 1 (x2 = 69.538). Burnout rate was higher in Group 2 (x2 = 29.526). Self-efficacy was higher in Group 1 (t = 3.194). Burnout was positively correlated with anxiety symptoms (r2 = 0.424) and negatively correlated with self-efficacy (r2 = −0.312).

Conclusion

Anxiety, depressive symptoms and burnout were prevalent in FHWs during different periods of the COVID-19 pandemic. There is a tendency to be less depressed, but more anxious and burned out over time, although the severity of the pandemic is decreasing. Self-efficacy may be an important factor in protecting FHWs from occupational burnout. Support and intervention plans for FHWs should be made at the institutional level.

First few seconds for flow: A comprehensive proposal of the neurobiology and neurodynamics of state onset

Flow is a cognitive state that manifests when there is complete attentional absorption while performing a task. Flow occurs when certain internal as well as external conditions are present, including intense concentration, a sense of control, feedback, and a balance between the challenge of the task and the relevant skillset. Phenomenologically, flow is accompanied by a loss of self-consciousness, seamless integration of action and awareness, and acute changes in time perception. Research has begun to uncover some of the neurophysiological correlates of flow, as well as some of the state's neuromodulatory processes. We comprehensively review this work and consider the neurodynamics of the onset of the state, considering large-scale brain networks, as well as dopaminergic, noradrenergic, and endocannabinoid systems. To accomplish this, we outline an evidence-based hypothetical situation, and consider the flow state in a broader context including other profound alterations in consciousness, such as the psychedelic state and the state of traumatic stress that can induce PTSD. We present a broad theoretical framework which may motivate future testable hypotheses.