Hugo Figueiredo-Ferraz

Incidence of burnout in Spanish nursing professionals: A longitudinal study

BACKGROUND Burnout is a psychological response to chronic work-related stress of an interpersonal and emotional nature that appears in professionals in service organizations who work in direct contact with the clients or end-users of the organization. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to examine the incidence of burnout in a sample of staff nurses. DESIGN The study was longitudinal, and not randomized. The gap between time 1 (T1) and time 2 (T2) was 1 year. SETTINGS The data were gathered using an anonymous and self-applied questionnaire in different units of 13 Spanish hospitals. PARTICIPANTS The sample consisted of 316 staff nurses, 53 males (16.8%) and 262 females (83.2%). The percentage of the response obtained was 31.37% of all the questionnaires distributed in T1, and 83.77% of all the questionnaires handed out in T2. The characteristics of the sample were stable over time. METHODS Burnout was evaluated by the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI-HSS). Descriptive statistics, percentages, and t-test analyses were conducted. RESULTS The prevalence of burnout was different according to the approach used: (a) following the cut-off points from the American manual, the prevalence was 2.84% in T1 and 1.89% in T2; and considering the clinically derived cut-off points obtained in Holland, the percentage was 1.26% in T1 and .94% in T2. CONCLUSIONS The results only confirmed the hypothesis formulated applying the American cut-off points in T1. There was a significant increase in the levels of emotional exhaustion from T1 to T2, but there were no significant changes in the levels of personal accomplishment or depersonalization from T1 to T2. When the scores on the three dimensions of the MBI were considered together, a decrease in the incidence of burnout was obtained from T1 to T2. The prevalence of burnout in staff nurses can be modified over time, depending on the criteria used to estimate the prevalence.

Influence of mobbing (workplace bullying) on depressive symptoms: a longitudinal study among employees working with people with intellectual disabilities

BACKGROUND The problem of mobbing has attracted a great deal of attention over the past few years. This concern has increased the study of the phenomena, which has resulted in many scientific publications. Mobbing has been characterised as an emerging risk at work. The aim of this longitudinal study was to analyse the influence of mobbing on depressive symptoms in a sample of employees working with people with intellectual disabilities (ID). METHOD The sample consisted of 372 Spanish employees working with people with ID at 61 job centres in the Valencian Community (Spain). Seventy-nine (21.2%) participants were men, and 293 were (78.8%) women. Mobbing was evaluated by the Mobbing-UNIPSICO scale, and depressive symptoms were measured using the Zung Self Rating Depression Scale. Using analyses of variance (anova), we tested the differences in depressive symptoms according to the mobbing criteria indicated by Leymann, that is, frequency and duration at Time 1 and Time 2. RESULTS Employees who met the mobbing criteria: frequency (at least once a week) and duration (at least 6 months) at the two study times presented significantly higher levels of depressive symptoms than employees who met mobbing criteria at Time 1, but did not meet any criteria for mobbing at Time 2, and employees who did not meet any criteria for mobbing at Time 1 or Time 2. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that permanence of mobbing from Time 1 to Time 2 increases depressive symptoms.

Psychometric properties of the ‘Spanish Burnout Inventory’ among employees working with people with intellectual disability

BACKGROUND Burnout has been recognised as an important stress-related problem for employees working with people with intellectual disability. Researchers have been troubled by some of the psychometric limitations of the questionnaires developed to evaluate burnout. This study was designed to assess the psychometric properties of the Spanish Burnout Inventory. METHOD The sample consisted of 697 Spanish employees working in intellectual disability services. The instrument is composed of 20 items distributed in four dimensions: Enthusiasm towards the job, Psychological exhaustion, Indolence and Guilt. The psychometric properties were examined through the following analyses: confirmatory factor analysis and reliability. To assess the factorial validity of the Spanish Burnout Inventory, four alternative models were tested. RESULTS The four-factor model obtained an adequate data fit for the sample. The four sub-scales exhibited high reliability, with Cronbach alphas exceeding the critical value of 0.70. CONCLUSIONS This study provides evidence showing the adequate psychometric properties of an alternative burnout measure that could facilitate the diagnosis of individuals with burnout. It recommends taking feelings of guilt into consideration in interventions designed to improve staff burnout.

Influence of Some Psychosocial Factors on Mobbing and its Consequences Among Employees Working with People with Intellectual Disabilities

BACKGROUND The problem of mobbing has attracted a great deal of attention over the past few years. This concern has increased the study of the phenomena, which has resulted in many scientific publications. Mobbing has been characterized as an emerging risk at work. The aim of this study was to analyse the influence of some psychosocial factors at work - role clarity, interpersonal conflicts and social support - on mobbing and its consequences - that is, inclination towards absenteeism and psychosomatic disorders. MATERIALS AND METHODS The sample included 422 employees working with people with intellectual disabilities. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to test the hypotheses. RESULTS The Hypothesized model showed an adequate fit to data, and all hypothesized relationships were significant. CONCLUSIONS The results of this study provide support for the mediator role of mobbing in the relationship between high role ambiguity, low social support and high interpersonal conflicts and psychosomatic disorders and inclination towards absenteeism.

Desgaste psíquico y problemas de salud en estudiantes de psicologia

The aim of the study was to examine the levels of Psychological Exhaustion and Disillusionment in students of Psychology, the work overload and its relationship with Disorders of Health. The research participants were 154 university students of Psychology from junior (48%) and senior. (52%). Psychological Exhaustion and Disillusionment were analysed with the Spanish Burnout Inventory (SBI), Disorders of Health with an eleven-item scale and Work overload with one item. The students from senior perceived higher Work overload, Psychological Exhaustion and Disillusionment than the students from junior.The aim of the study was to examine the levels of Psychological Exhaustion and Disillusionment in students of Psychology, the work overload and its relationship with Disorders of Health. The research participants were 154 university students of Psychology from junior (48%) and senior. (52%). Psychological Exhaustion and Disillusionment were analysed with the Spanish Burnout Inventory (SBI), Disorders of Health with an eleven-item scale and Work overload with one item. The students from senior perceived higher Work overload, Psychological Exhaustion and Disillusionment than the students from junior.

Psychological exhaustion and disorders of health in psychology students

The aim of the study was to examine the levels of Psychological Exhaustion and Disillusionment in students of Psychology, the work overload and its relationship with Disorders of Health. The research participants were 154 university students of Psychology from junior (48%) and senior. (52%). Psychological Exhaustion and Disillusionment were analysed with the Spanish Burnout Inventory (SBI), Disorders of Health with an eleven-item scale and Work overload with one item. The students from senior perceived higher Work overload, Psychological Exhaustion and Disillusionment than the students from junior.The aim of the study was to examine the levels of Psychological Exhaustion and Disillusionment in students of Psychology, the work overload and its relationship with Disorders of Health. The research participants were 154 university students of Psychology from junior (48%) and senior. (52%). Psychological Exhaustion and Disillusionment were analysed with the Spanish Burnout Inventory (SBI), Disorders of Health with an eleven-item scale and Work overload with one item. The students from senior perceived higher Work overload, Psychological Exhaustion and Disillusionment than the students from junior.

DESGASTE PSÍQUICO E PROBLEMAS DE SAÚDE EM ESTUDANTES DE PSICOLOGIA

The aim of the study was to examine the levels of Psychological Exhaustion and Disillusionment in students of Psychology, the work overload and its relationship with Disorders of Health. The research participants were 154 university students of Psychology from junior (48%) and senior. (52%). Psychological Exhaustion and Disillusionment were analysed with the Spanish Burnout Inventory (SBI), Disorders of Health with an eleven-item scale and Work overload with one item. The students from senior perceived higher Work overload, Psychological Exhaustion and Disillusionment than the students from junior.The aim of the study was to examine the levels of Psychological Exhaustion and Disillusionment in students of Psychology, the work overload and its relationship with Disorders of Health. The research participants were 154 university students of Psychology from junior (48%) and senior. (52%). Psychological Exhaustion and Disillusionment were analysed with the Spanish Burnout Inventory (SBI), Disorders of Health with an eleven-item scale and Work overload with one item. The students from senior perceived higher Work overload, Psychological Exhaustion and Disillusionment than the students from junior.