Burn-out and relationship with the learning environment among psychiatry residents: a longitudinal study

Recent research suggests that burn-out is high and appears to be rooted in system-level factors including the local learning environment (LE). While most studies on this topic have been cross-sectional, our aim was to explore the relationship between burn-out and the LE over time within psychiatry residents. We hypothesised that burn-out is a significant predictor of learner perception of overall and all subdomains of LE within residents.

This was a repeated measures questionnaire study.

We surveyed psychiatry residents in Singapore between January 2016 and December 2019.

The Oldenburg Burnout Inventory and the Postgraduate Hospital Education Environment Measure (PHEEM) were used to assess burn-out and resident perception of the LE, respectively. Linear mixed modelling was used to examine changes in PHEEM scores over time while taking into account burn-out status.

Overall, 93 residents (response rate 89.4%) took part.

The average difference between initial PHEEM total scores for residents with and without burn-out was significant (p<0.001). Burn-out status was a significant predictor of lower overall and all subdomain PHEEM scores at baseline (all p<0.001). PHEEM Teaching scores showed a significant increase over time for all residents regardless of burn-out status (p<0.05). However, PHEEM Total, Role Autonomy, Social Support scores did not change significantly over time or change significantly between residents with or without burn-out.

Perceptions of LE among psychiatry residents at baseline are inversely associated with burn-out status. That only the Teaching subdomain score increased over time could be accounted for by the fact that it is a more tangible and visible aspect of the LE compared with perceived role autonomy or social support subdomains. Our findings underscore the importance of attending to the well-being and improving the LE of our residents so as to optimise learning during training.