Electronic diary evidence on energy erosion in clinical burnout.
Burnout is generally defined as a state of severe exhaustion. So far, research has predominantly focused on relatively mild burnout in employees able to work despite their complaints. This study examines energy depletion in clinical burnout (e.g., the severest cases on extended sick leave) by comparing the diurnal patterns of fatigue and exhaustion with those of healthy individuals. Sixty clinically burned-out and 40 healthy participants kept an electronic diary for 14 days, 7 times a day, yielding a total of 8,116 diary entries. This study shows that burned-out individuals typically suffer continuously from a severe fatigue throughout the day. The resulting flattened diurnal cycles mark a stable exhaustion that is uncommon in healthy persons. The current results provide novel support for the existence of severe energy erosion in clinical burnout.
Sonnenschein
Mieke
M
Department of Health Psychology, Utrecht University, the Netherlands. m.a.sonnenschein@fss.uu.nl
Sorbi
Marjolijn J
MJ
van Doornen
Lorenz J P
LJ
Schaufeli
Wilmar B
WB
Maas
Cora J M
CJ
D000328:Adult; D002055:Burnout, Professional / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D034201:Computers, Handheld; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D005221:Fatigue / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D016347:Medical Records Systems, Computerized; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D009787:Occupational Medicine; D010507:Periodicity; D012647:Self-Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018582:Sick Leave; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D014940:Work Schedule Tolerance; D016526:Workload / Q000523:psychology