Differentiating 'pure' and comorbid self-identified burnout: Diagnostic and management implications

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Occupational Health

Background:

• A prior study found differing Sydney Burnout Measure (SBM) scores between individuals with burnout who had a mental illness history versus those who did not.
• The validity of the SBM in these distinct groups required further examination.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the validity of the Sydney Burnout Measure (SBM) in individuals experiencing burnout.
• To compare the SBM's factorial structure and score interpretation in individuals with and without a history of mental illness.

Main Methods:

• Comparative analysis of the factorial structure of the SBM.
• Comparison of SBM scores between two groups: individuals with burnout and a history of mental illness, and individuals with burnout but no history of mental illness.

Main Results:

• The SBM demonstrated similar underlying symptom constructs across both groups.
• Individuals with a mental illness history exhibited higher general factor scores, indicating more severe burnout.
• Individuals without a mental illness history showed higher scores on the empathy loss factor, suggesting its specificity to burnout.

Conclusions:

• The Sydney Burnout Measure (SBM) appears to be a valid tool for assessing burnout.
• Burnout experiences are comparable between individuals with and without a history of mental illness when measured by the SBM.