The Definition Of Burnout

3.6. The definition of burnout

There are many definitions of burnout as we can see on many conceptualisations of burnout. However, it is important to thus note that each adds a certain aspect to the definition of burnout. Despite that yet, it does not help us to easily identify the disease both on methodological and theoretical grounds, as the consensus does not appear to be present (Beemester & Baum, 1984).

On the other hand, there is a description of burnout in the ICD-11 Beta Draft under the code Z73.0 (WHO, 2016)

“Burn-out is the result of chronic stress (at the workplace) which has not been successfully dealt with, characterized by exhaustion and depersonalization (negativism/cynicism) and is found predominantly in caring and social

Freudenberg (1974) identified the state of being burnout in volunteering social workers. It has led to a certain direction of the definition. Evidently, from ICD-10 definition, we can identify the three-dimensional structure which Maslach describes and follows (Maslach & Jackson, 1986). Alas, burnout is thought to be: a syndrome of emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation and reduced personal accomplishment (Maslach, Schaufeli, & Leiter, 2001).

The definition has been also updated and changed around and many more definitions are being used:

Burnout is a process that begins with excessive and prolonged levels of job tension, which causes the stress producing a strain in the worker (feelings of tension, irritability and fatigue). When workers defensively cope with the job stress by detaching themselves psychologically from the job and becoming rigid, cynical, and apathetic. In the end of the process, of being burnout, one becomes completed (Cherniss, 1995; 1980)

Burnout is “a progressive loss of idealism, energy and purpose experiences by people in the helping professions as a result of their work conditions” (Edelwich & Brodsky, 1980, p. 166, in Beemsterboer & Baum,

Bakker and Demerouti (2007) would describe them as aspects of the job that promotes personal growth, learning and development and directly reduces the impact of job demands. It would be significant to say that they have both negative correlation and are strongly related.

Furthermore, Bakker, Demerouti and Euwema, 2005 found that combination of high demands and low job resource has been found to be imperative in predicting burnout. Specifically lack of managerial and colleague support in combination of high word load and demands, both physical and psychological, stimulates and onset of burnout.

Most common individual antecedent is personality, which has been found to influence the onset of burnout. Alacorn, Eschleman and Bowling (2009) has found that the Big five influences the burnout onset. Extraversion, emotional stability, conscientiousness and agreeableness are negatively correlated to three dimensions of burnout. In terms of job demands and resouces: extraversion should impact the job resources. Being of a nature to be able to seek social help and socialise expands a circle of social support, which decreases the stress load. Not only that, in combination with conscientiousness, the work environment is more positive and a healthier relationship with management increase resources and decrease demands. Addtionally, extraversion increases the perception of belonging and thus eases the settling into the job’s role, easing