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Professional burnout and work engagement among dentists
Author(s) -
Brake Hans Te,
Bouman AnneMarthe,
Gorter Ronald,
Hoogstraten Johan,
Eijkman Michiel
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
european journal of oral sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.802
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1600-0722
pISSN - 0909-8836
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0722.2007.00439.x
Subject(s) - burnout , work engagement , psychology , scale (ratio) , work (physics) , emotional exhaustion , clinical psychology , social psychology , mechanical engineering , physics , quantum mechanics , engineering
A recent development within burnout research is the shift to its conceptual opposite: work engagement. This study aimed to unravel the concepts of burnout and work engagement, and to determine their levels among dentists. A representative sample of 497 Dutch general dental practitioners was included (survey response rate of 59%), consisting of 372 men and 121 women (the gender of 4 dentists remained unknown). The hypothesized three‐factor structure of work engagement (vigor, dedication, and absorption), as measured by the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES), was substantiated among dentists. It was also found that work engagement was related negatively to burnout, as measured by the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). However, a model consisting of a reduced (‘core’) burnout factor and an ‘enhanced’ engagement factor (composed of the three original factors plus the burnout factor, personal accomplishment) showed the best fit. Overall burnout levels among dentists are low, and the levels of engagement indicate that dentists have a positive working attitude.