Feasibility of an electronic diary in clinical burnout.
Electronic diaries overcome important drawbacks of retrospective reports and capture fluctuations of psychological states and behavior. This study represents the first use of this method in clinically burned-out participants and aims to establish its feasibility concerning participant acceptability, compliance, and reactivity in this sample. Electronic diary measurement of burnout symptoms was performed 5 times a day for 2 weeks in 60 burned-out participants on sick leave and in 40 healthy controls. The method was well accepted, compliance was high (81%-96%), and no reactivity effect was found on the recording of burnout symptoms. We conclude that the electronic diary employed is accurate, reliable, and a promising tool in capturing key symptoms and their fluctuations in clinical burnout.
Sonnenschein
Mieke
M
Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Utrecht University, The Netherlands. m.a.sonnenschein@fss.uu.nl
Sorbi
Marjolijn J
MJ
van Doornen
Lorenz J P
LJ
Maas
Cora J M
CJ
D000328:Adult; D002055:Burnout, Professional / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D034201:Computers, Handheld; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D012016:Reference Values; D012647:Self-Assessment; D018582:Sick Leave; D012984:Software; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires