Work stress and emotional exhaustion in nurses: the mediating role of internal locus of control.
BACKGROUND
Burnout is a major problem for nursing. There is a strong relationship between work stress and emotional exhaustion. Although studies report a negative correlation between the internal locus of control and emotional exhaustion and work stress, the number of studies available on the subject is limited.


OBJECTIVE
This study intends to examine the extent to which the relationship between work stress and emotional exhaustion is mediated by nurses' internal locus of control.


METHODS
The study adopted a cross-sectional survey design. The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling techniques. The study sample consisted of 347 nurses who worked in a university hospital in Izmir, Turkey and who agreed to participate in the study. The Work-Related Strain Inventory was used to evaluate the nurses' work stress level, Maslach Burnout Inventory was used to evaluate their emotional exhaustion levels, and the Locus of Control Scale was used to evaluate the internal locus of control. The variables of the study were based on the Neuman Systems Model.


RESULTS
Work stress was positively related to internal locus of control (β3 = .21, p < .001), which was, in turn, negatively associated with emotional exhaustion (β = -.03, p > 0.1). Internal locus of control was negatively related to emotional exhaustion (β = -.14, p < .001). Work stress is directly (β = .87, p < .001) and indirectly related to emotional exhaustion (mediated by internal locus of control β = .84, p < .001). Work stress is directly (β = .87, p < .001) and indirectly related to emotional exhaustion (mediated by internal locus of control, β = .84, p < .001).


CONCLUSIONS
Although the relationship between emotional exhaustion and work stress was mediated, the impact of internal locus of control was limited. It is recommended that different variables be included in future studies so that they can mediate the relationship between work stress and emotional exhaustion.
Neslihan
N
Partlak Günüşen
Besti
B
Ustün
Sabri
S
Erdem
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D002055:Burnout, Professional / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D005222:Mental Fatigue; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000523:psychology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014421:Turkey; D016526:Workload / Q000523:psychology*