Degree Date
4-2019
Document Type
Dissertation - Public Access
Degree Name
Psy.D. Doctor of Clinical Psychology
Academic Discipline
Clinical Psychology - Florida School of Professional Psychology
First Advisor
Christina D. Brown, Psy.D.
Second Advisor
Elizabeth Lane, Ph.D.
Abstract
Burnout is a widely researched stress-related phenomenon associated with numerous adverse outcomes for employees and organizations. Unfortunately, burnout is not well understood and research to this point has been flawed due to a lack of consensus on the definition, dimensionality, and context of the construct. Prevalent conceptualizations of burnout have been criticized for being arbitrarily developed without solid theoretical foundation and for failing to clearly distinguish burnout from depression or other work-related conditions such as compassion fatigue, secondary traumatization, and vicarious traumatization. The current project first examines relevant literature to identify commonalities among prevalent burnout conceptualizations. Then relevant stress research is explored to identify possible neurophysiological explanations for the general presentation and progression of burnout. Finally, burnout and stress literature are integrated to create a definition and model of burnout that is non-arbitrary, theoretically driven, and that distinguishes burnout from depression and other work-related conditions. Findings of the project indicated that prevalent burnout conceptualizations share three elements: a resources-and-demands framework; domains related to the individual, interpersonal relationships, and external factors; and an underlying implication of a chronic stress process involved in the development, presentation, and progression of burnout. Exploration of stress research indicated that the neurophysiological process that occurs during adaptation to chronic stress, namely allostasis, accounts for the development, presentation, and progression of burnout, with depression being a potential outcome of the process. Clinical implications, limitations, and recommendations are discussed.
Keywords: burnout, chronic stress, allostasis, neurophysiology, appraisal, work, depression, compassion fatigue, secondary traumatization, vicarious traumatization
Recommended Citation
Guzzi, Danny A., "Redefining Burnout: Exploring Common Conceptualizations and the Neurophysiology of Chronic Stress to Establish an Integrated Allostatic Model" (2019). Dissertations. 374.
https://digitalcommons.nl.edu/diss/374
Detailed version of proposed stress model. Green pathway represents effective adaptation. Red pathway represents burnout process.
Overview Model Final.png (40 kB)
Overview of proposed stress model. Green pathway represents effective adaptation. Red pathway represents burnout process.
Included in
Behavioral Neurobiology Commons, Biological Psychology Commons, Clinical Psychology Commons, Cognition and Perception Commons, Disorders of Environmental Origin Commons, Health Psychology Commons, Human Factors Psychology Commons, Industrial and Organizational Psychology Commons, Neurosciences Commons, Occupational Health and Industrial Hygiene Commons, Work, Economy and Organizations Commons