The Correlation between Psychological Empowerment and Job Burnout in Midwives Working in the Labor Ward of Hospitals

Job Burnout (JB) is a multifactorial psycho-cognitive syndrome that leads to physical and psychological problems and declines the efficiency and productivity. Psychological Empowerment (PE) indicates that an individual feels motivated and competent to fulfill work expectations actively. This study assessed the correlation between PE and JB in midwives.

This cross-sectional correlational study was conducted on 282 midwives working in labor wards of hospitals in Isfahan (Iran). Convenience sampling was used. Psychological Empowerment Questionnaire (PEQ) with four domains (meaning, competence, autonomy, and impact) and Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) with three domains (emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment) were used. Partial correlation and regression analysis were used to analyze the data. p < 0.05 was considered significant.

None of the demographic variables had a significant association with PE and JB. There were no significant correlations between the total scores of PE and three domains of JB. However, personal accomplishment was positively correlated with the domains of meaning and competence (r = 0.16, p = 0.02; r = 0.27, p < 0.001, respectively). Autonomy was the only significant predictive variable for emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, respectively (β =0.17, t₂₃₅=2.34, p = 0.020, β =0.09, t₂₄₉=1.29, p = 0.020); also, competency was the only significant predictive variable for personal accomplishment (β = 0.29, t₂₆₃=4.20, p < 0.001). The domains of PE were significant predictors of variance of JB in personal accomplishment domain (R² = 0.10, F₆=4.85, p < 0.001).

Meaning and competence could be promoted through attendance in continuous training programs to increase personal accomplishment. In addition, it is suggested to promote midwives' authority to decline their emotional exhaustion and depersonalization.