Burnout Syndrome in Public Servants: Prevalence and association with Occupational Stressors

Sheila Gonçalves Câmara,Mary Sandra Carlotto

doi:10.1590/1413-82712019240302

Abstract

Abstract The objectives of this study were to identify the prevalence of Burnout Syndrome (BS) and the predictive power of occupational stressors for its dimensions - Enthusiasm toward the job (inverse), Psychological Exhaustion, Indolence and Guilt. This study assessed a random sample of 538 public servants from a State Court of Justice (RS/Brazil) who answered the Spanish Burnout Inventory, a sociodemographic questionnaire, a work-related questionnaire and and occupational stressors questionnaire. The prevalence identified was 6.5% for Profile 1 BS (Enthusiasm toward the job - inverse, Psychological Exhaustion, Indolence) and 4.4% for Profile 2 BS (Enthusiasm toward the job - inverse, Psychological Exhaustion, Indolence, Guilt). Stressors that predicted Burnout Syndrome were work content, work organization, type of public served, social environment of work, physical conditions of the workplace, work hours, workload, relationship with heads, and relationship with colleagues. Results suggest a need for intervention in occupational stressors present in work organization.

Highlights

Resumo Os objetivos do estudo foram identificar a prevalência da Síndrome de Burnout (SB) e o poder preditivo dos estressores ocupacionais para as suas dimensões – Ilusão pelo trabalho, Desgaste Psíquico, Indolência e Culpa
The prediction analysis of the enthusiasm toward the job dimension evidenced an explanatory model composed of 4 variables that, altogether, explained 20.1% of the variance of this dimension, with social environment of work the variable with the greatest explanatory power (13.9%)
The variation in the psychological exhaustion dimension is explained by 5 variables that jointly explain 47.9% of the variance

Summary

Introduction

Resumo Os objetivos do estudo foram identificar a prevalência da Síndrome de Burnout (SB) e o poder preditivo dos estressores ocupacionais para as suas dimensões – Ilusão pelo trabalho (inversa), Desgaste Psíquico, Indolência e Culpa. Os estressores que predisseram a Síndrome de Burnout foram o conteúdo do trabalho, a organização do trabalho, o tipo do público atendido, ambiente social do trabalho, as condições físicas do local de trabalho, o horário de trabalho, a carga horária, a relação com a chefia, e a relação com os colegas. Resumen El objetivo del estudio fue identificar la prevalencia del síndrome de Burnout (SB) y el poder predictivo de los estresores ocupacionales para sus dimensiones - Ilusión por el trabajo (inversa), Desgaste Psíquico, Indolencia y Culpa. This has caused pronounced changes in the work environment of public organizations with the basic purpose of achieving a more productive performance (Balassiano, Tavares, & Pimenta, 2011; Louro, Santos, & Zanquetto Filho, 2017)

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