Moderating role of occupational context in the relationship between emotion regulation and burnout syndrome: A...

Emotion regulation (ER) is a central component of emotional labor and a key predictor of burnout. However, empirical findings on the relationship between ER strategies and burnout have been inconsistent, particularly across occupational contexts. To address these discrepancies, we conducted a meta-analysis synthesizing data from 57 studies (65 independent samples; N = 29,053; 351 effect sizes). Drawing on Grandey and Gabriel's (2015) integrated model of emotional labor, we examined whether occupational context moderates the associations between two ER strategies (cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression) and burnout. We also tested additional moderators, age and gender. Results indicated that the associations between ER and burnout were significantly moderated by occupation settings but not key demographic characteristics. Reappraisal generally exhibited a protective effect, particularly in teaching professions. In contrast, suppression was positively associated with burnout, with stronger links in public safety than in teaching and health care. These findings underscore the importance of occupational context in shaping how ER strategies relate to burnout. The study also offers practical implications for symptoms-based interventions and highlights limitations to guide future research. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).