Психологическая природа феномена эмоционального выгорания

Abstract

We analyze burnout phenomenon. In the works of Russian and foreign scientists, the phenomenon of “burnout” is studied as “medical” and “psychological” issue and is considered in terms of its causes, symptomatology and functional peculiarities. The key factor of burnout is a prolonged stay in unfavorable conditions of the social environment, the reason may be stressful mental states and an existential crisis caused by a mismatch of ideological values and expectations with reality. Burnout has a cumulative effect and is interpreted as a consequence of permanent stress in the workplace and activities outside the profession. The signs of emotional burnout are interpreted in connection with the social characteristics of the activity because they arise as a result of non-constructive communication which is traumatic for the psyche in a wide range of life activities. The clinical nature of emotional burnout is diagnosed at the theoretical and empirical levels. Emotional burnout has the status of a syndrome – a pathological state of the psyche with certain symptoms. The symptoms of emotional burnout are considered relying on experimental research devoted to distinctive features of the stress among students and educators in Russian higher educational institutions. The psychological theory of adaptation characterizes the phenomenon of emotional burnout as a vital function of psychological protection, which serves to stimulate the psyche in the process of resistance to the effects of stress.