Understanding the Detachment-Strain Relationship: A Two-Wave Mediational Model

Healthcare professionals are highly exposed to work-related stressors, which increases their vulnerability to exhaustion, a key dimension of burnout. Psychological detachment, defined as the ability to mentally disengage from work during off-job time, has been identified as a key recovery mechanism. However, the processes linking detachment to exhaustion over time remain underexplored.

This study integrated the Conservation of Resources theory and the Stressor-Recovery Model to test a two-wave longitudinal model, in which negative work-home spillover mediates the relationship between psychological detachment and exhaustion. The reverse pathways were also examined. Data were collected from 258 healthcare professionals at an Italian hospital, who completed self-report questionnaires at two time points over a two-year period. Structural equation modeling was employed to test the hypothesized relationships.

Psychological detachment at Time 1 predicted lower spillover at Time 2, which in turn was associated with lower exhaustion, supporting a full mediation model. Additionally, spillover at Time 1 negatively predicted detachment at Time 2, suggesting the existence of a potential loss cycle, while reverse effects from exhaustion to spillover or detachment were not supported.

These findings highlight the crucial role of psychological detachment in preventing long-term exhaustion among healthcare professionals by reducing work-home spillover, providing valuable insights for interventions that promote recovery processes.