Burnout (or "burn-out syndrome") is a psychological syndrome recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2019 as an occupational phenomenon. It is characterized by three dimensions (defined by Christina Maslach in 1981): emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment. It is not just stress or tiredness: it is a sustained and specific state that requires intervention.
Concept origin
Maslach C, Jackson SE. (1981). The Maslach Burnout Inventory. Journal of Occupational Behavior, 2(2), 99-113. doi:10.1002/job.4030020205 · WHO. (2019). Burn-out an occupational phenomenon in ICD-11 (QD85).
How it manifests
- ▸ Persistent feeling of being emotionally drained by work
- ▸ Cynical or impersonal distance toward the people one works with
- ▸ Feeling that work has no meaning or of not being competent
- ▸ Insufficient recovery after vacations or weekends
Therapeutic approach
Intervention requires three levels (Leiter model): individual (rest, sleep, boundaries, therapy if symptoms present), team (social support, workload redistribution), and organization (job redesign, autonomy, coherent values). Intervening only at the individual level makes burnout return.
Related concepts
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