Jyväskylä Studies in Education , Psychology and Social Research 348

Hätinen, Marja Treating job burnout in employee rehabilitation: Changes in symptoms, antecedents and consequences of burnout Jyväskylä: University of Jyväskylä, 2008, 85 p. (Jyväskylä Studies in Education, Psychology and Social Research ISSN 0075-4625; 348) ISBN 978-951-39-3452-1 (PDF), 978-951-39-3407-1 (nid.) Finnish summary: Työuupumuksen hoito työikäisten kuntoutuksessa: muutokset työuupumuksen oireissa, ennakoijissa ja seurauksissa Diss. This longitudinal study examined the manifestations of burnout and changes in its symptoms during a 1-year rehabilitation intervention and a 6-month followup by using personand variable-oriented approaches. In addition, the aim was to study the changes in certain antecedents and consequences of burnout during the intervention. The data were obtained as a part of a research project (N = 175) that was conducted among working-aged rehabilitation clients. Burnout was studied as a syndrome comprising exhaustion, cynicism, and reduced professional efficacy. Antecedents of burnout were examined in terms of personal resources (sense of coherence and coping) and job conditions (time pressures at work, job control, workplace climate, satisfaction with supervisor). Consequences of burnout were evaluated by depression and job satisfaction. The main results of three studies showed that a) the experience of burnout was heterogeneous at baseline and across time; b) exhaustion and cynicism declined in certain subgroups as early as 4 months after the first rehabilitation period and this decline was maintained during the follow-ups; c) the participatory approach appeared to be more effective as compared to the traditional approach; d) decreased job demands and increased resources were associated with recovery from burnout; and e) decreased depression and increased job satisfaction were associated with recovery from burnout. A more precise targeting of burnout interventions is needed since the rehabilitation program included a group of employees whose burnout symptoms were only minor, as well as a group with high levels of burnout and depression who did not benefit from rehabilitation. The latter result suggests that rehabilitation started too late for them. The participatory type of intervention might have greater potential as an efficient treatment strategy for burnout since it gives participants better opportunities to exercise control over their work and, consequently, results in better fit between the individual and the job.