Emotional labour, training stress, burnout, and depressive symptoms in junior doctors

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Author(s)
Rogers, ME
Creed, PA
Searle, J
Year published
2014
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Junior doctors are at risk of work-related burnout and mental health problems due to training workload demands and responsibilities. This study investigated the predictors of work-related burnout and depressive symptoms in junior doctors. Participants were 349 Australian doctors in postgraduate years 1-4, who completed a web-based survey assessing emotional labour (surface and deep acting), training stress, work-related burnout, and depressive symptoms. We tested a model in which surface acting and training stress were associated positively with work-related burnout, where deep acting was associated negatively with work-related ...
View more >Junior doctors are at risk of work-related burnout and mental health problems due to training workload demands and responsibilities. This study investigated the predictors of work-related burnout and depressive symptoms in junior doctors. Participants were 349 Australian doctors in postgraduate years 1-4, who completed a web-based survey assessing emotional labour (surface and deep acting), training stress, work-related burnout, and depressive symptoms. We tested a model in which surface acting and training stress were associated positively with work-related burnout, where deep acting was associated negatively with work-related burnout, where work-related burnout was associated positively with depressive symptoms, and where work-related burnout mediated the relationship between emotional labour, training stress, and depressive symptoms. Surface acting and training stress were associated with work-related burnout and depressive symptoms in the expected directions, deep acting and work-related burnout were associated with depressive symptoms, and work-related burnout fully mediated the relationships between training stress, surface acting and depressive symptoms. The results suggest that assisting junior doctors to manage workload demands and patient contact will have beneficial effects on their work enthusiasm and mental health.
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View more >Junior doctors are at risk of work-related burnout and mental health problems due to training workload demands and responsibilities. This study investigated the predictors of work-related burnout and depressive symptoms in junior doctors. Participants were 349 Australian doctors in postgraduate years 1-4, who completed a web-based survey assessing emotional labour (surface and deep acting), training stress, work-related burnout, and depressive symptoms. We tested a model in which surface acting and training stress were associated positively with work-related burnout, where deep acting was associated negatively with work-related burnout, where work-related burnout was associated positively with depressive symptoms, and where work-related burnout mediated the relationship between emotional labour, training stress, and depressive symptoms. Surface acting and training stress were associated with work-related burnout and depressive symptoms in the expected directions, deep acting and work-related burnout were associated with depressive symptoms, and work-related burnout fully mediated the relationships between training stress, surface acting and depressive symptoms. The results suggest that assisting junior doctors to manage workload demands and patient contact will have beneficial effects on their work enthusiasm and mental health.
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Journal Title
Journal of Vocational Education & Training
Volume
66
Issue
2
Copyright Statement
© 2014 Taylor & Francis (Routledge). This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in the Journal of Vocational Education and Training on 10 Feb 2014, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13636820.2014.884155
Subject
Industrial and Organisational Psychology
Education Systems
Curriculum and Pedagogy
Business and Management