Professional burnout and work engagement among dentists.
A recent development within burnout research is the shift to its conceptual opposite: work engagement. This study aimed to unravel the concepts of burnout and work engagement, and to determine their levels among dentists. A representative sample of 497 Dutch general dental practitioners was included (survey response rate of 59%), consisting of 372 men and 121 women (the gender of 4 dentists remained unknown). The hypothesized three-factor structure of work engagement (vigor, dedication, and absorption), as measured by the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES), was substantiated among dentists. It was also found that work engagement was related negatively to burnout, as measured by the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). However, a model consisting of a reduced ('core') burnout factor and an 'enhanced' engagement factor (composed of the three original factors plus the burnout factor, personal accomplishment) showed the best fit. Overall burnout levels among dentists are low, and the levels of engagement indicate that dentists have a positive working attitude.
Te Brake
Hans
H
Department of Social Dentistry and Behavioral Sciences, Academic Center for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA), Universiteit van Amsterdam and Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. H.teBrake@nivel.nl
Bouman
Anne-Marthe
AM
Gorter
Ronald
R
Hoogstraten
Johan
J
Eijkman
Michiel
M
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002055:Burnout, Professional; D003815:Dentists / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005792:General Practice, Dental; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D016013:Likelihood Functions; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009426:Netherlands; D012737:Sex Factors; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014937:Work / Q000523:psychology*