Burnout Syndrome in Occupational Therapists in Spain: Prevalence and Risk Factors

Abstract

The objective of this study was to assess the potential levels of burnout syndrome in occupational therapists in Spain, as well as the risk factors involved in its prevalence. The data were obtained through an online survey. The tool utilised for this purpose was the Maslach Burnout Inventory General Survey (MBI-GS) that takes into consideration the following dimensions: emotional fatigue, depersonalisation and reduction of personal satisfaction. A sociodemographic questionnaire was also utilised. The sample of the study included 758 occupational therapists, 90.8% of whom were women and 9.2% of whom were men. For identifying the variables associated to the presence of burnout, the prevalence was compared through the chi-squared test, and the odds ratios by age were calculated through the binary logistic regression model. We found that 69.4% of the occupational therapists presented burnout syndrome and especially emotional fatigue (63.5%). Likewise, relevant and significant differences in the prevalence of burnout syndrome were observed depending on the age, marital status, number of children, work field and type of workday. We can conclude that burnout syndrome poses a clear risk for the health of occupational therapists that could have direct consequences on the work environment, affecting the way the interventions are performed with patients. This study could help to raise awareness on this reality and the factors implied. We suggest the implementation of measures (individual, labour and political) both for the prevention of burnout in occupational therapists as well as for reducing the levels of those who suffer from it.

Psychological Impact of COVID-19 on Occupational Therapists: An Online Survey in Japan

“…These findings are in accord with the results of a meta-analysis on burnout among mental health professionals (O'Connor et al, 2018) that suggested that role clarity, professional autonomy, a sense of fair treatment, and access to regular clinical supervision may support workers. Although direct evidence is needed, these factors, in addition to reduced workload and enhanced communication, can be significant in preventing burnout among occupational therapists (Escudero-Escudero et al, 2020). In our study, in prefectures under specific cautions, sufficient information from the workplace significantly reduced insomnia risk, whereas in other areas it significantly reduced depression risk.…”

“…Occupational therapists are typically classified as second-line medical workers and do not directly care for people with COVID-19 during the acute phase. However, they have direct contact with their clients during treatment programs, which can increase their infection risk and have a negative impact on their mental health (Ito & Ishioka, 2020) negative psychological effects can affect care quality and lead to client dissatisfaction (Escudero-Escudero et al, 2020). To prevent or mitigate negative psychological effects on occupational therapists that can harm care quality, treatment programs and environments with effective infection prevention need to be established.…”

Perceived job strain among Swedish occupational therapists with less than 10 years of work experience

“…Frequencies (n), percentages (%), average scores (M), and standard deviation (SD) were used to analyze the DCSQ at item and subscale levels. To calculate the level of job strain, the different scales were dichotomized into low and high based on the following cut-offs: demand scale (low 5-13 points and high 14-20), control scale (low 6-18 and high [19][20][21][22][23][24] and support scale (low 6-19 and high [20][21][22][23][24], in keeping with the study by Sleman and Vuleta [31].…”

“…Occupational therapists with less than 10 years of work experience have been found to be at higher risk of work-related stress symptoms due to psychosocial factors in the work environment than occupational therapy colleagues with longer work experience [20]. Additionally, being under 30 years of age has been found to be associated with an increased prevalence of burnout syndrome in occupational therapists [21]. According to Smith and Pilling [22], the transition from student to a health care professional may be stressful and challenging when having to manage a full caseload, take complete responsibility for clients and time management, take personal responsibility even when confidence is low, and is struggling to develop professional expertise.…”

A Relação entre a Prática Docente e a Síndrome de Burnout na Rede Pública de Ensino

“…A SB se manifesta em três dimensões: exaustão emocional, despersonalização e a baixa realização profissional (Amor, Baños & Sentí, 2020;Huarcaya-Victoria & Calle-Gonzáles, 2020), por meio de sintomas físicos, psíquicos, comportamentais e defensivos (Gerber, Scriba, Geissler, Reckling, Fischer, Karl & Benrath, 2020;Escudero-Escudero, Segura-Fragoso & Cantero-Garlito, 2020). A dimensão exaustão emocional pode ser entendida como a sensação de que os recursos físicos e emocionais de um indivíduo se esgotaram decorrente da sobrecarga de trabalho.…”