Abstract
Background: Few studies have tested whether the stress-buffering effects of leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) depend on other resources, such as the satisfaction of basic psychological needs. Therefore, the present study examines the interaction between perceived stress, LTPA and psychological need satisfaction (PNS) on occupational burnout symptoms in a sample of Swiss workers.Methods: The sample consisted of 306 employees (48% women; Mage = 42.9 years, SD = 14.1). Perceived stress was assessed with the Perceived Stress Scale, LTPA with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, PNS (autonomy, relatedness, and competence) with the Need Satisfaction Scale, and occupational burnout symptoms with the Shirom-Melamed Burnout Measure. A hierarchical regression analysis and single slopes tests were performed to examine two- and three-way interactions.Results: Stress was positively correlated with burnout, and negatively correlated with LTPA and PNS levels. LTPA was positively associated with PNS, and negatively correlated with burnout. A negative association existed between PNS and burnout. In the hierarchical regression analysis, all main effects, two- and three-way interactions were significant. People who engaged in more LTPA reported fewer burnout symptoms, if they reported high stress. However, the potential of LTPA to buffer stress was particularly evident in participants who reported low PNS.Conclusion: If adult workers are exposed to elevated stress, they are particularly likely to show increased burnout levels if they report low LTPA in combination with low PNS, specifically a lack of autonomy, competence and relatedness.
Highlights
High perceived stress constitutes a heavy burden on individuals’ health, by increasing their risk for non-communicable diseases (Bergmann et al, 2014), jeopardizing their mental health (Siegrist, 2008), and leading to premature death (Redmond et al, 2013)
Resilience researchers assume that there are interindividual differences in protective and vulnerability factors, even though these factors might be subject to change. In line with this perspective, one of the central objectives of our study is to find out whether the assumed relationship between stress and burnout symptoms is less pronounced among participants with higher levels of psychological need satisfaction (PNS) compared to participants who report low PNS
Significant findings for burnout symptoms were as follows: Participants living in a relationship (M = 2.31, SD = 0.95) reported lower burnout scores, F(1,305) = 12.11, p = 0.001, η2 = 0.038, than singles (M = 2.78, SD = 1.10), whereas participants with children (M = 2.26, SD = 0.93) had lower burnout scores than those without children (M = 2.53, SD = 1.05), F(1,305) = 5.52, p = 0.019, η2 = 0.018
Summary
High perceived stress constitutes a heavy burden on individuals’ health, by increasing their risk for non-communicable diseases (Bergmann et al, 2014), jeopardizing their mental health (Siegrist, 2008), and leading to premature death (Redmond et al, 2013). Previous research has shown that both leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) and the satisfaction of basic psychological needs are important health resources (Deci and Ryan, 2000; Biddle and Mutrie, 2006) which may facilitate successful coping with stress. Given these insights, the purpose of the present study was to examine, in a sample of Swiss adult workers, whether a combination of low LTPA and unsatisfied psychological needs is associated with increased burnout symptoms among participants who perceive their lives as being stressful, as compared to individuals who report low stress levels. The present study examines the interaction between perceived stress, LTPA and psychological need satisfaction (PNS) on occupational burnout symptoms in a sample of Swiss workers
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