Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between burnout and cognitive functioning. The associations of depression, anxiety and family support with burnout and cognitive functioning were also examined both independently and as potential moderators of the burnout–cognitive functioning relationship. Seven different cognitive tasks were administered to employees of the general working population and five cognitive domains were assessed; i.e., executive functions, working memory, memory (episodic, visuospatial, prospective), attention/speed of processing and visuospatial abilities. Burnout, depression, anxiety and family support were assessed with the Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the Family Support Scale respectively. In congruence with the first and fourth (partially) Hypotheses, burnout and perceived family support are significantly associated with some aspects of cognitive functioning. Moreover, in line with the third Hypothesis, perceived family support is inversely related to burnout. However, in contrast to the second and fourth Hypotheses, depression, anxiety and perceived family support do not moderate the burnout–cognitive functioning relationship. Additional results reveal positive associations between burnout depression and anxiety. Overall findings suggest that cognitive deficits, depression and anxiety appear to be common in burnout while they underpin the role of perceived family support in both mental health and cognitive functioning. Implications for practice are discussed.
Highlights
People who suffer from burnout tend to complain about cognitive deficits
An additional aim was to examine whether depression, anxiety and perceived family support are associated with cognitive performance and if they moderate the burnout–cognitive functioning relationship
Considering that the disengaged burnout profile is characterized by employees high only in cynicism, these results suggest that the effects of cynicism on employees’ cognitive functioning might be more negative compared to the other two burnout components
Summary
People who suffer from burnout tend to complain about cognitive deficits These individuals often report reduced problem—solving and learning abilities and difficulties in staying focused during daily tasks, and failing to keep important information such as names or appointments [1,2,3], observations that are replicated in more recent studies [4,5,6,7,8]. This subjective mental fatigue appears to persist after three years of the diagnosis [9], a finding which indicates that subjective cognitive deficiencies might have long-lasting consequences in the everyday functioning of burnout individuals.
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