title: Influence of spirituality on cool down reactions, work engagement, and life satisfaction in anthroposophic health care professionals.
abstract: This study aimed to analyse whether spirituality is a resource for health care professionals to deal with increasing stress and work burden, specifically to analyse associations between "cool down reactions" (which describe an emotional distancing towards patients and/or reduced engagement as a strategy to protect their own functionality), work burden, and life satisfaction. We specifically focussed on anthroposophic health care professionals because of their unique approach to distinct aspects of spirituality. In a cross-sectional survey using standardized questionnaires, 489 persons were enrolled (66% women, mean age 53 ± 10 years, 41% physicians, 12% nurses, and 47% other health care professionals). They scored very high on all measures of spirituality and moderate to low with respect to "cool down reactions." Significant predictors of "cool down reactions" were low work vigor, perceived work burden, alcohol consumption, low life satisfaction, and religious orientation (R (2) = 0.20). In contrast, their life satisfaction was explained best (R (2) = 0.35) by vigor, with further positive influences of being a physician, conscious interactions, and living with a partner on one hand and negative influences of "cool down reactions," work burden, and transcendence convictions on the other hand. Thus, specific aspects of spirituality have only a small influence on anthroposophic health care professionals' "cool down reactions," but might buffer against a loss of vigor and dedication in their work.
authors.affiliation: Quality of Life, Spirituality and Coping, Institute of Integrative Medicine, University of Witten/Herdecke, Gerhard-Kienle-Weg 4, 58313 Herdecke, Germany.
authors.forename: Arndt
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-5025-7950
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Büssing
authors.affiliation: Quality of Life, Spirituality and Coping, Institute of Integrative Medicine, University of Witten/Herdecke, Gerhard-Kienle-Weg 4, 58313 Herdecke, Germany.
authors.forename: Désirée
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-6898-1114
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lötzke
authors.affiliation: Medical Section of the School of Spiritual Science at the Goetheanum, Dornach, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Michaela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Glöckler
authors.affiliation: Chair for Theory of Medicine, Integrative and Anthroposophic Medicine, Institute of Integrative Medicine, Witten/Herdecke University, Herdecke, Germany.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Heusser