Relationships among burnout, coping style and personality: study of Japanese professional caregivers for elderly

Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2008 Apr;62(2):174-6. doi: 10.1111/j.1440-1819.2008.01751.x.

Abstract

Aim: To investigate relationships among burnout, coping style and personality.

Methods: Seventy-two professional caregivers working at nursing homes in Japan were assessed using the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI), 30-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) and Coping Inventory for Stressful Situation (CISS).

Results: GHQ (beta = 0.34, P < 0.01) and emotion-oriented coping (CISS-E; beta = 0.31, P < 0.05) were the predictors of emotional exhaustion (MBI-EE), and neuroticism (NEO-N; beta = 0.45, P < 0.001) and age (beta = -0.23, P < 0.05) were the predictors of depersonalization (MBI-DP). Structural equation modeling showed that NEO-N affected the burnout scores through CISS-E, and that age and GHQ affected the burnout scores independently.

Conclusion: Personality affects burnout through coping style in professional caregivers.

MeSH terms

  • Adaptation, Psychological*
  • Adult
  • Burnout, Professional / psychology*
  • Caregivers / psychology*
  • Comorbidity
  • Depersonalization / diagnosis
  • Depersonalization / psychology
  • Female
  • Homes for the Aged*
  • Humans
  • Japan
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neurotic Disorders / diagnosis
  • Neurotic Disorders / psychology
  • Nursing Homes*
  • Patient Care Team
  • Personality Inventory / statistics & numerical data*
  • Psychometrics / statistics & numerical data
  • Regression Analysis
  • Sex Factors
  • Workload / psychology