La investigación en el síndrome de burnout: reflexión crítica desde una perspectiva metodológica

La investigación en Psicología se caracteriza por hacer uso del método científico, sobre todo el hipotético-deductivo. Recientemente se han publicado varios trabajos que muestran las dificultades con las que los psicólogos se encuentran a la hora de investigar. Algunas de ellas son la diversidad de modelos teóricos, la ausencia de estudios de replicación, los errores en el diseño, la alta tasa de falsos positivos, las prácticas inadecuadas de análisis de datos y la lentitud e ineficacia de la transmisión del conocimiento científico. En este trabajo, mediante una revisión narrativa, se pretende reflexionar de manera crítica sobre la ocurrencia de estos problemas en el campo de la Psicología de la Salud Ocupacional, en concreto, el síndrome de burnout. Se aportan evidencias de que algunos problemas mencionados a nivel general coinciden con los de este campo. Finalmente se discuten estos resultados.Research in Psychology is characterised by using the scientific method, specifically the hypothetico-deductive model. Recently, several authors have shown some of the problems that psychologists face when conducting research. For instance, a wide variety of theoretical models, lack of replication studies, study design errors, high rate of false positive, inappropriate data analysis practices and ineffective and slow scientific knowledge transmission. Through a narrative review, this study aims to critically analyse the occurrence of these problems in the field of Occupational Health Psychology, particularly regarding the burnout syndrome. Evidence suggests that some problems mentioned at a general level coincide with those in this field. Finally, these results are discussed

Validity Evidence for the Internal Structure of the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey: A Comparison between Classical CFA Model and the ESEM and the Bifactor Models

Academic burnout is a psychological problem characterized by three dimensions: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment. This paper studies the internal structure of the MBI-SS, the most widely used instrument to assess burnout in students. The bifactor model and the ESEM approach have been proposed as alternatives, capable of overcoming the classical techniques of CFA to address this issue. Our study considers the internal structure of the MBI-SS by testing the models most frequently referenced in the literature, along with the bifactor model and the ESEM. After determining which model best fits the data, we calculate the most appropriate reliability index. In addition, we examined the validity evidence using other variables, namely the concurrent relationships with depression, anxiety, neuroticism, and conscientiousness, and the discriminant relationships with the dimensions of engagement, extraversion, and agreeableness. The results obtained indicate that the internal structure of the MBI-SS is well reflected by the three-factor congeneric oblique model, reaching good values of reliability and convergent and discriminant validity. Therefore, when the scale is used in applied contexts, we recommend considering the total scores obtained for each of the dimensions. Finally, we recommend using the omega coefficient and not the alpha coefficient as an estimator of reliabilityFEDER/Consejería de Universidad, Investigación e Inovación de la Junta de Andalucía. Project P20-0063

Development of a Competence Profile and Performance Assessment for Care Assistants from a Labor Pool at a Nursing Home

This article presents the development of a competence-based professional profile and thesubsequent performance assessment, which were built on behaviors that represent thecompetences in a sample of care assistants working in a nursing home. Nine employeeswho knew the tasks performed by care assistants were asked to select and rank thecompetences in order of significance, considering their importance for performing the jobefficiently. Based on the weights obtained, the selected competences are transformed intobehaviors and, finally, into a five-point Likert scale used to assess the sample of careassistants (a total de 16 employees) and classify them using overall and specific scores oneach of the competences

The Fear of COVID-19 Scale: A meta-Analytic structural equation modeling approach

The widespread administration and multiple validations of the Fear of Covid-19 Scale (FCV-19S) in different languages have highlighted the controversy over its underlying structure and the resulting reliability index. In the present study, a meta-analysis based on structural equation modeling (MASEM) was conducted to assess the internal structure of the 7-item, 5-point Likert-type FCV-19S version, estimate an overall reliability index from the underlying model that best reflected the internal structure (one τ-equivalent factor, one congeneric factor, or two-factor models), and perform moderator analyses for the model-implied inter item correlations and estimated factor loadings. A Pearson inter-item correlation matrix was obtained for 48 independent studies, from which a pooled matrix was calculated following a random-effects multivariate meta-analysis. The results from the one-stage MASEM analysis showed that the two-factor model properly fitted the pooled matrix, while the τ-equivalent and congeneric one-factor models did not. Even though, the use of a bifactor model exhibited the predominance of the general factor over the domain-specific ones. High omega coefficients were obtained for the entire scale (.91) and the psychological (.83) and physiological (.83) symptoms subscales. Moderator analyses evidenced an increase in the estimated factor loadings, as well as in the reliability of the FCV-19S, when the standard deviation of the total scores increased and when the FCV-19S was administered to specific (vs. general) populations. The FCV-19S can be therefore considered as a highly related two-factor scale whose reliability makes it suitable for applied and research purposes.2022-2

Which occupational risk factors are associated with burnout in nursing? A meta-analytic study

Numerous empirical studies have suggested a link between occupational factors and the burnout syndrome. The effect sizes of the association reported vary widely in nursing professionals. The objective of this research was to assess the influence of five occupational factors (job seniority, professional experience, job satisfaction, specialization and work shift) on the three burnout dimensions (emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and personal accomplishment) in nursing. We conducted a meta-analysis with a total of 81 studies met to our inclusion criteria: 31 on job seniority; 29 on professional experience; 37 on job satisfaction; 4 on specialization; and 6 on work shift. The mean effect sizes found suggest that job satisfaction and, to a lesser extent, specialization were important factors influencing the burnout syndrome. The heterogeneity analysis showed that there was a great variability in all the estimates of the mean effect size. Various moderators were found to be significant in explaining the association between occupational factors and burnout. In conclusion, it is important to prevent the substantive moderators that are influencing these associations. The improved methodological variables explain most of the contradictory results found in previous research on this field.Numerosos estudios sugieren la relación entre el síndrome de burnout y algunas variables ocupacionales e informan de diversos tamaños del efecto en sus asociaciones, en profesionales de Enfermería. El objetivo de este trabajo es estudiar la influencia de cinco variables ocupacionales (antigüedad en el puesto, antigüedad en la profesión, satisfacción laboral, especialización y turno laboral) y las tres dimensiones del síndrome (cansancio emocional, despersonalización y realización personal) en enfermeros. En este trabajo se realizó un meta-análisis de 81 estudios que cumplían los criterios de inclusión establecidos: 31 sobre antigüedad en el puesto, 29 en experiencia profesional, 37 relacionados con satisfacción laboral, 4 con especialización y 6 con turno laboral. Los tamaños del efecto medio indican que la satisfacción laboral y, en menor medida, la especialización eran factores importantes que influye en el burnout. La heterogeneidad encontrada en las estimaciones de los tamaños del efecto hace necesario realizar el análisis de variables moderadoras, obteniéndose que algunos moderadores son de gran interés en la explicación de las asociaciones. En conclusión, sería importante prevenir las variables moderadoras sustantivas que median estas asociaciones. Los aspectos metodológicos deberían ser mejorados pues parecen explicar algunos de los resultados contradictorios que se encuentran en las investigaciones en este ámbito.Open Access funded by Asociación Española de Psicología ConductualExcellence Research Projects P07HUM-02529 and P11HUM-7771 (Junta de Andalucía-Spain)

Evaluation of Convergent, Discriminant, and Criterion Validity of the Cuestionario Burnout Granada-University Students

Burnout is a health problem that affects professionals and students or professionals in training, especially those in health areas. For this reason, it is necessary that it is properly identified to prevent the impact it can have on the work and personal areas of the people who suffer from it. The aim of this work is to study the convergent, discriminant, and criterion validity of the Cuestionario Burnout Granada-University Students. The sample consisted of 463 undergraduate nursing students, selected by non-probabilistic convenience sampling, who participated voluntarily and anonymously in the study. The mean age of the participants was 21.9 (5.12) years, mostly female (74.1%), single (95.8%), and childless (95.6%). Information was collected face-to-face, and the instruments were completed on paper. Comparisons were made in the three dimensions of burnout of the CBG-USS between students with and without burnout, finding statistically significant differences in all three dimensions: Emotional Exhaustion (p < 0.001, d = 0.674), Cynicism (p < 0.001, d = 0.479), and Academic Efficacy (p < 0.001, d = −0.607). The Cuestionario Burnout Granada-University Students presents adequate reliability and validity indices, which demonstrates its usefulness in the identification of burnout. This syndrome has traditionally been measured in professionals, but students also present burnout, so it is necessary to have specific burnout instruments for students, since the pre-work situation and stressors of students are different from those of workers. In order to work on the prevention of university burnout, it is essential to have specific instruments for professionals in training that help in the detection of students with burnout

Validity evidence for the internal structure of the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey: a comparison between classical CFA model and the ESEM and the bifactor models

Academic burnout is a psychological problem characterized by three dimensions: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment. This paper studies the internal structure of the MBI-SS, the most widely used instrument to assess burnout in students. The bifactor model and the ESEM approach have been proposed as alternatives, capable of overcoming the classical techniques of CFA to address this issue. Our study considers the internal structure of the MBI-SS by testing the models most frequently referenced in the literature, along with the bifactor model and the ESEM. After determining which model best fits the data, we calculate the most appropriate reliability index. In addition, we examined the validity evidence using other variables, namely the concurrent relationships with depression, anxiety, neuroticism, and conscientiousness, and the discriminant relationships with the dimensions of engagement, extraversion, and agreeableness. The results obtained indicate that the internal structure of the MBI-SS is well reflected by the three-factor congeneric oblique model, reaching good values of reliability and convergent and discriminant validity. Therefore, when the scale is used in applied contexts, we recommend considering the total scores obtained for each of the dimensions. Finally, we recommend using the omega coefficient and not the alpha coefficient as an estimator of reliability

Burnout syndrome and its prevalence in primary care nursing: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: burnout syndrome is a significant problem in nursing professionals. Although, the unit where nurses work may influence burnout development. Nurses that work in primary care units may be at higher risk of burnout. The aim of the study was to estimate the prevalence of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and low personal accomplishment in primary care nurses. Methods: We performed a meta-analysis. We searched Pubmed, CINAHL, Scopus, Scielo, Proquest, CUIDEN and LILACS databases up to September 2017 to identify cross-sectional studies assessing primary care nurses’ burnout with the Maslach Burnout Inventory were included. The search was done in September 2017. Results: After the search process, n = 8 studies were included in the meta-analysis, representing a total sample of n = 1110 primary care nurses. High emotional exhaustion prevalence was 28% (95% Confidence Interval = 22–34%), high depersonalization was 15% (95% Confidence Interval = 9–23%) and 31% (95% Confidence Interval = 6–66%) for low personal accomplishment. Conclusions: Problems such as emotional exhaustion and low personal accomplishment are very common among primary care nurses, while depersonalization is less prevalent. Primary care nurses are a burnout risk group.This work was funded by the Excellence Research Project P11HUM-7771 (Junta de Andalucía-Spain)

The effect of mindfulness training on burnout syndrome in nursing: A systematic review and meta-analysis

El síndrome de Burnout es un riesgo laboral común para el personal de enfermería. El entrenamiento en mindfulness se ha propuesto como una intervención válida para el burnout. Para este estudio se realizó una revisión sistemática y meta-análisis. Se consultaron las bases de datos CINAHL, LILACS, Medline, ProQuest, PsycINFO, Scielo y Scopus, utilizando la ecuación de búsqueda “Nurs* AND burnout AND mindfulness”. No hubo restricción en el año de publicación. Los artículos fueron seleccionados para su análisis de acuerdo con las recomendaciones PRISMA. El meta-análisis se llevó a cabo con el software Review Manager 5.3. La muestra fue de 17 artículos y se incluyeron 632 enfermeros. El entrenamiento de atención plena reduce los niveles de burnout, encontrando puntuaciones más bajas para el cansancio emocional y la despersonalización y más altas para la realización personal. Las diferencias en las medias fueron 1,32 (IC 95%: -9,41-6,78), 1,91 (IC 95%: -4,50-0,68) y 2,12 (IC 95%: -9,91-14,14), respectivamente, entre los grupos de intervención y control. El mindfulness reduce el desgaste emocional y, por lo tanto, los niveles de burnout entre las enfermeras. Sin embargo, se requieren más ensayos clínicos aleatorios.Proyecto de Excelencia Junta de Andalucía P11HUM-777

Analyzing Latent Burnout Profiles in a Sample of Spanish Nursing and Psychology Undergraduates

There is abundant literature suggesting that university students in helping professions experience high levels of stress, leading to an increased risk of developing burnout. The objective of this study was to identify burnout profiles in a sample of 1162 Spanish nursing and psychology undergraduates using latent profile analysis, a person-oriented statistical method that can identify hidden homogenous subgroups within a heterogeneous population. We expected to replicate in university students the five-profile structure (burnout, overextended, disengaged, ineffective, and engagement) proposed by Leiter and Maslach using the burnout dimensions (emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and inefficacy) as indicators. The results showed that burnout, overextended, and engagement profiles were adequately replicated. Given that levels of inefficacy and cynicism were medium to low, the ineffective and disengaged profiles somewhat deviated from those identified by Leiter and Maslach. We found differences between the five latent profiles in several psychological variables, such as depression and anxiety. These results suggest that psychosocial factors (e.g., workload) are significant among students and may adversely impact their health, leading to psychosomatic and emotional disorders. Hence, designing effective interventions to prevent health problems associated with burnout seems advisable, considering the specific burnout profile that a student exhibits