A Cross-Sectional Study of Work-Related Behaviour and Experience Patterns Among German Veterinarians in Different Age...

The veterinary profession is associated with a variety of psychological stresses that increase the risk of exhaustion and burnout. There are no published systematic studies on work-related stress among veterinarians. The aim of this study was to apply work-related behaviour and experience patterns to this occupational group and to analyse age-related differences.

A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among 832 practising veterinarians in Germany. The questionnaire was used to record work-related behaviour and experience patterns. The data were evaluated in terms of the frequency of the four AVEM patterns (G, S, A, and B) and age-related differences. Correlation and multivariate variance analyses were performed.

Overall, 61.1% of the respondents exhibited a risk pattern (A or B). Pattern B (burnout) was the most common, at 40.3%. Significant differences were found between age groups in several AVEM dimensions, particularly in terms of the tendency to resign in the face of failure, distancing ability, and experience of success at work (all p = 0.001), with older veterinarians showing more favourable values. The strongest correlation was weakly negative between age and work-related ambition (ρ = -0.262 with p < 0.001). Multivariate variance analysis of various AVEM dimensions and independent variables (e.g., gender, field of study, professional status, place of work, and age group) explained a maximum of 6.7% of the variance in the AVEM dimension of work-related ambition.

This study fills an existing research gap by applying the AVEM model to the occupational group of veterinarians and identifying age-related differences in the experience of occupational stress. The high prevalence of patterns that are harmful to health underscores the importance of occupational health prevention and highlights the potential of the AVEM approach for occupational psychological assessment and intervention in veterinary practice.