New review article on research with the BAT
This chapter presents a fresh look at burnout, based a reconceptualization as a work-related syndrome that consists of (1) exhaustion (i.e., a severe loss of energy that results in feelings of both physical and mental exhaustion); (2) mental distance (i.e., a strong reluctance or aversion to work, indifference, and cynicism); (3) cognitive impairment (i.e., memory […]
New review chapter on burnout
This chapter presents an overview of the current knowledge about burnout, a state of work-related mental exhaustion. It starts with the history and societal background of the phenomenon and discusses the concept and various definitions. Next, the assessment of burnout using questionnaires and clinical interviews is reviewed and an overview of its prevalence is presented. […]
New article on clinically validated cutoff points for the BAT.
When are employees in the danger zone for burnout? These cut-offs will tell you.
New publication on organizational redesign project in European hospitals
The increasing burden of mental distress reported by healthcare professionals is a matter of serious concern and there is a growing recognition of the role of the workplace in creating this problem. Magnet hospitals, a model shown to attract and retain staff in US research, creates positive work environments that aim to support the well-being […]
New publication on shortening the BAT
Burnout is related to huge costs, for both individuals and organizations and is recognized as an occupational disease or work-related disorder in many European countries. Given that burnout is a major problem it is important to measure the levels of burnout in a valid and reliable way. The Burnout Assessment Tool (BAT) is a newly […]
New publication on the Burnout Assessment Tool (BAT)
This paper examines to what extent the Four Dimensional Symptoms Questionnaire (4DSQ) and the Burnout Assessment Tool (BAT) are able to distinguish four diagnostic groups (i.e., employees suffering from stress complaints, burnout, depressive episode and other adjustment disorders, respectively) in a group of 5,791 employees who reported sick with psychological complaints. The group with other […]
New publication on the BAT
The Burnout Assessment Tool (BAT) is gaining increased attention as a sound and innovative instrument for the conceptualization and assessment of burnout. This paper aims to present the psychometric properties of the Brazilian and Portuguese versions of the BAT; both the original 23-item and the shortened 12-item versions. Validity evidence for the BAT is based […]
New publication on the epigenitics of burnout
Work-related stress and burnout have become major occupational health concerns. Dysregulation of HPA-axis is considered one of the central mechanisms and is potentially moderated through epigenetics. In the present study, we aim to investigate epigenetic regulation of the HPA axis in burnout, by focusing on salivary cortisol and cortisone and DNA methylation of the glucocorticoid […]
New article on measurement of burnout (OLBI)
This study examined the factor structure of burnout, as measured with the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory (OLBI), in a sample of 235 public administration employees who assessed their burnout online for 10 consecutive working days. Two models were tested with multilevel confirmatory factor analysis, assuming the same one or two-factor structure at the within- and between-person […]
Editorial on burnout
Recently, a consensual definition of burnout was proposed by an international expert panel that reads: “In a worker, occupational burnout or occupational physical AND emotional exhaustion state is an exhaustion due to prolonged exposure to work-related problems.” In an editorial I criticize this definition and conclude that the burnout enigma still remains unresolved (download the […]