title: Burnout among psychosocial oncologists: an application and extension of the effort-reward imbalance model.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Burnout is a significant problem among healthcare professionals working within the oncology setting. This study aimed to investigate predictors of emotional exhaustion (EE) and depersonalisation (DP) in psychosocial oncologists, through the application of the effort-reward imbalance (ERI) model with an additional focus on the role of meaningful work in the burnout process.
  
  
  METHODS
  Psychosocial oncology clinicians (n = 417) in direct patient contact who were proficient in English were recruited from 10 international psychosocial oncology societies. Participants completed an online questionnaire, which included measures of demographic and work characteristics, EE and DP subscales of the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey, the Short Version ERI Questionnaire and the Work and Meaning Inventory.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Higher effort and lower reward were both significantly associated with greater EE, although not DP. The interaction of higher effort and lower reward did not predict greater EE or DP. Overcommitment predicted both EE and DP but did not moderate the impact of effort and reward on burnout. Overall, the ERI model accounted for 33% of the variance in EE. Meaningful work significantly predicted both EE and DP but accounted for only 2% more of the variance in EE above and beyond the ERI model.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The ERI was only partially supported as a useful framework for investigating burnout in psychosocial oncology professionals. Meaningful work may be a viable extension of the ERI model. Burnout among health professionals may be reduced by interventions aimed at increasing self-efficacy and changes to the supportive work environment.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rasmussen
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Adrienne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Turnell
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.|Centre for Medical Psychology and Evidence-based Decision-Making (CeMPED), School of Psychology, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.|Psycho-Oncology Co-operative Research Group (PoCoG), University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Phyllis
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Butow
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.|Centre for Medical Psychology and Evidence-based Decision-Making (CeMPED), School of Psychology, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Ilona
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Juraskova
authors.affiliation: Centre for Medical Psychology and Evidence-based Decision-Making (CeMPED), School of Psychology, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.|Nepean Cancer Care Centre, Sydney West Cancer Network, Westmead, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kirsten
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Lori
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wiener
authors.affiliation: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Patenaude
authors.affiliation: Wenckebach Institute, University Medical Center, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Josette
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hoekstra-Weebers
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychiatry, Department of Biomedical and Speciality Surgical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Grassi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002055:Burnout, Professional / Q000523:psychology*; D003861:Depersonalization / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008495:Medical Oncology; D008875:Middle Aged; D016272:Occupational Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012201:Reward; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017132:Workplace / Q000523:psychology*