The Lund University Checklist for Incipient Exhaustion-a cross-sectional comparison of a new instrument with similar contemporary tools.
BACKGROUND
Stress-related health problems (e.g., work-related exhaustion) are a societal concern in many postindustrial countries. Experience suggests that early detection and intervention are crucial in preventing long-term negative consequences. In the present study, we benchmark a new tool for early identification of work-related exhaustion-the Lund University Checklist for Incipient Exhaustion (LUCIE)-against other contextually relevant inventories and two contemporary Swedish screening scales.


METHODS
A cross-sectional population sample (n = 1355) completed: LUCIE, Karolinska Exhaustion Disorder Scale (KEDS), Self-reported Exhaustion Disorder Scale (s-ED), Shirom-Melamed Burnout Questionnaire (SMBQ), Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES-9), Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ), Big Five Inventory (BFI), and items concerning work-family interference and stress in private life.


RESULTS
Increasing signs of exhaustion on LUCIE were positively associated with signs of exhaustion on KEDS and s-ED. The prevalence rates were 13.4, 13.8 and 7.8 %, respectively (3.8 % were identified by all three instruments). Increasing signs of exhaustion on LUCIE were also positively associated with reports of burnout, job demands, stress in private life, family-to-work interference and neuroticism as well as negatively associated with reports of job control, job support and work engagement.


CONCLUSIONS
LUCIE, which is intended to detect pre-stages of ED, exhibits logical and coherent positive relations with KEDS and s-ED as well as other conceptually similar inventories. The results suggest that LUCIE has the potential to detect mild states of exhaustion (possibly representing pre-stages to ED) that if not brought to the attention of the healthcare system and treated, may develop in to ED. The prospective validity remains to be evaluated.
Department of Psychology, Lund University, SE-22100, Lund, Sweden. roger.persson@psy.lu.se.|Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, SE-22185, Lund, Sweden. roger.persson@psy.lu.se.
Roger
R
Persson
Department of Psychology, Lund University, SE-22100, Lund, Sweden.|Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, SE-22185, Lund, Sweden.
Kai
K
Österberg
Department of Psychology, Lund University, SE-22100, Lund, Sweden.
Njördur
N
Viborg
School of Education and Environment, Centre for Psychology, Kristianstad University, SE-29188, Kristianstad, Sweden.
Peter
P
Jönsson
Hälsan & Arbetslivet, Occupational Health Care Unit, Region Västra Götaland, Skaraborg Hospital, SE-54185, Skövde, Sweden.
Artur
A
Tenenbaum
D000328:Adult; D002055:Burnout, Professional / Q000453:epidemiology; D057189:Checklist; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005221:Fatigue / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D057566:Self Report; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D014937:Work / Q000523:psychology*
Burnout; Exhaustion disorder; KEDS; LUCIE; Personality traits; Stress; s-ED