SOME MODERATORS OF THE WORK STRESS - BURNOUT RELATIONSHIP KAREN V. DIXON Di.ssertaci.on submitted to the Faculty of Arts, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts. Johannesburg, January 1989
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SOME MODERATORS OF THE WORK STRESS - BURNOUT
RELATIONSHIP
KAREN V. DIXON
Di.ssertaci.on submitted to the Faculty of Arts, University of the
Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for
the degree of Master of Arts.
Johannesburg, January 1989
- It -
DECLARATION
I declare that this dissertation Is ray own, w M i e d work, and that it has
not been previously submitted for any degree or examination at any other
University.
Karan V. Dixon
- H i -
ABSTRACT
Two considerations prompted the subject of the present research. Firstly,
emphasis Is invariably made on the stressed or burned out individual after
the fact: much of the existing literature involves describing the
antecedents and effects of stress and burnout, and datails strategies for
the alleviation, treatment, control and management of stress rather than
its prevention. Secondly, stress ar.d burnout are never characteristics
of the individual alone, but are. a complex of factors th^t reflect
features of the larger society. Yet some individuals in the common
society are more adept at coping with stress than others. Instead of
lnves igating extraneous support variables such as social and family
support, the intention of the present study was to identify intra-personal
support variables, that is, strengths already within the individual that
might serve to protect th( person from the effects of stress
The present research is thus a pilot study that emphasises the psychology
of the individual and. takes a cognitive perspective, but does so within
the social psychological framework by focusing or the relationship between
environmental and personal factors.
A life events model of stress was adopted, Incorporating stresses specific
to students, for a sample of Master of Business Administration
participants. Experienced stress *fas measured by recording Its negative
impact on individuals. Burnout was measured using the Maslach Burnout
Inventory, which incorporates the emotional exhaustion, depersottalisatlon
and personal accomplishment dimensions of burnout inherent in Maslach and
Jackson’s (1981) paradigm.
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An lnteractionist approach to stiass and burnout was used bacausa It
Includes Internal demands (such as need for achievement) and external
demands (such as work load) confronting the Individual In the work
situation This approach also recognises that stress Is essentially an
Individual perceptual phenomenon, and that the personal experience of
stress is reflected in terms of its physiological, i ognltlve and
behavioural consequences.
Data was collected from two sets of questionnaires which were completed on
a voluntary basis by white male students participating in the Master of
Business Administration Programme at the Graduate Business Schools of the
University of Cape Town and thr University of the Witwatersrand. The
statistical analysis, which used a moderated multiple regression technique
and analysis of covariance, showed that the personality variable of
hardiness significantly moderated the relationship between work-related
stress and the emotional exhaustion dimension of burnout. Self-efficacy
bsllef contributed to the variance in emotional exhaustion.
The 'findings were discussed and some avenues for future research were
suggested. Theoretical and practical applications of Che research
findings wore alco considered. It was concluded that hardiness represents
an important intra-personal resource which enables individuals to cope
more effectively in highly stressful condlt ions. This variable has
potential for enhancement, particularly once It is recognised and
acknowledged by the Individual, 30 strengthening uhe individual against
the development of burnout.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I should like Co express ray sincere appreciation to the following people
and institutions, for the diverse contributions they made:
My original supervisor, Dr Clive Fullager, for his
enthusiasm and interest in this project, and for
his continued help throughout the research.
Professor Beverley 'halmers, who calmly inherited
the dissertation In its final stagas, and who
generously gave of her tine and Invaluable advice.
Dr. Jeff Curaes, who gave me succour with regard to
a personal problem • Jeff, I'm so grateful.
Christine Yelland, my typist, who always greeted
me with a cheerful smile, and continued to smile
regardless of the state cf the manuscript.
The University of the Witwatcrsrand, for the
bursary which enabled me to -mrsue the research in
both Johannesburg and Cape To*m.
Various administrators at the two Craduate Schools
of Business for their advice and help.
Merrick Abel, for his subtle combination of carrot
and stick, but above all for his patience,
tolerance and encouragement • the greatest support
1 could have.
. vl .
QUESTION:
How many workers are needed Co change a ltghc bulb In a high stress,
high frustration work environment?
ANSWER
A minimum of nine:
two of whom did not make It In to work (one was sick and the
other took a mental health day);
one who was too hung over and another who was too depressed
to notice the bulb was out;
two who wouldn't do it because they were arguing over whc
didn't do It last time;
on who broke an arm attempting to change the bulb (that wa*
efr.«r another dropped the new bulb);
finally the bulb was changed by an exasperated supervisor
wltl. high blood pressure, prior to her heart attack.
(Adapted from the epilogue to:
WORK STRESS AND BURNOUT, 1982,
edited by Whlton Stewart Paine)
"Friend, don't be a perfectionist. Perfectionism is a curse
and a sf '»ln. "
(Fritz Peris, in:
Freudenberger, H.J., BURNOUT,
1980, Arrow Books)
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CONTENTS
page
Abstr. t 111
Acknowledgment.', V
I WfRQPVCIIQN 1
1. Stress In Industry • an Overview 1
2. Stress, Coping and Burnout 20
2.1 Tha three concepts 20
2.2 The stress-coplng-burnout link 35
2.3 Definitions of burnout 40
2.4 Appropriateness of the term 'burnout' 46
2.5 Theories of burnout 48
3. Review of the Burnout Research Literature 55
4. Personality Variables in the Stress-Burnout Relationship 75
4.1 Burnout-prone personality factors 75
4.2 Hardiness, self-'if f lcacy belief and achievement
motive as moderators 84
Hardiness 84
Self-efficacy belief 87
Achievement motive 95
5. Introduction to the Present Study 107
II MLIHQDQiPC-t 111
1. Subject sample 111
2. Design 115
3. Procedure 118
4. Questionnaires 121
5. Statistical analyses 136
III RES12US 1^31. General Findings 143
2. Results of the moderated multiple regression analysis 151
IV DISCUSSION 164
1. Discussion of the General Results 1®^
1.1 Results and discussion concerning the hardiness
variable 172
1.2 Results and discussion concerning the self*
efficacy belief variable 178
1.3 Results and discussion concerning the achievement
motive variable 182
2. Limitations of the Present Study 188
3. Implications of the Present Study 197
-vlli-
212
r.ONCLUSIQN216
a p p e n d i x a
244
a p p e n d i x b
249
a p p e n d i x c
255
b i b l i o c r a p h B
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
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LIST Ob 1ABI.ES
Comparative mental stability
The roots of management stress
South African coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality
rates for white working males versus other countries
Signs and symptoms of Job stress and most commonly
associated with burnout
A compaiison of symptoms: Stress and Burnout
Variables found to be significantly related to
burnout
Summary of measuring Instruments used in the research
Means and standard deviations of variables at Time 1
Means and standard (Aviations of variables at Tine 2
Descriptive statistics for the study variables
at Time 1
Descriptive statistics for the study variables
at Time 2
Tests for linearity
Moderated multiple regression for intensity of
emotional exhaustion on self-efficacy belief
Moderatec'. multiple regression for intensity of
emotional exhaustion on hardiness
Moderated multiple regression for Intensity of
emotional exhaustion on achievement motive
Moderated multiple regression for Intensity of
depersonalisatlon on self-eff.cacy belief
Moderated multiple regression for intensity of
depersorallsatlon on achievement motive
Moderated multiple regression for Intensity of
depersonalisatlon on hardiness
Moderated multiple regression for Intensity of
personal, accomplishment on self-efficacy belief
page
13
14
16
36
39
62
122
144
145
147
148
150
153
154
157
153
159
160
161
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20 Moderated multiple regression for Intensity of
personal accomplishment on achievement motive
21 Moderated multiple regression for intensity of
personal accomplishment on hardiness
162
163
FIGURE 1
2
3
U
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
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LIST OF FIGURES
Transactional model of stress
Transactional definition ol burnout
Model of the burnout process
The attrlbutlonal model of achievement motivation
Proposed model to explain moderating effect* of
certain personality variables on the Job stress-
burnout relationship
Diagrammatic representation of significant
Interaction effeccs for the emotional exhaustion
dependent variable
Schematic presentation of VIE theory
Response to tbe question "Do you have adequate
financi.il support during the MBA course?"
Response to question "How do you rate your overall
health?"
Response to question "Are you finding the MBA
rewarding frori a personal accomplishment point
of view?"
Response to question "Are you sat sfled with tht
level of feedback on your work?"
Response to qaeatlon "Approximately, how do you
feel you are coping/have coped?"
page
24
27
52
101
109
156
204
246
246
247
247
248
I INTRODUCTION
1. 5IRESS IN IKBliS m - AM QmttifM
During th» decades lollowlng World War TI, worV relaced stress has
become a focal poir.t for cc cern, as Is evidenced by the still
Increasing body of research, popular press articles, books and
senili.^rs. By way of example, local ntress management seminars have
become commonplace, and regular articles on stress appear in both
local and overseas business Journals. By the beginning of the 1980's
conservative annual estimates for absenteeism, health Insurance and
performance 4ecrIments, all cf which may be considered stress-related,
came to approximately $100 billion in the U.S.A. tlone (Pavett,
1986). In all likelihood, it was the increasing cotta to Industry
that prompted the initial Interest in occupational stress; moreover,
as all economies of the western world and socialist or communist
oitenteo countries are characterised by an overburdening drive toward
Increased productivity and cost efficiency, the phenomenon of work-
relat 4 ttr<m is today a subject of great concern.
In terms of cost. South Africa is no exception. Once rated as having
one of the fastest economic growth rates in the world (Nattrass,
1981), In recent ye-rs it has endured considerable losses to both
productivity and cost efficiency and has suffered a severe decline In
economic growth. Its Industrial productivity is continually faced
with growing losses on two main fronts, not only at the manual labour
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level with the increasing Incidence of strikes, labour disturbances,
accident-related losses and public holidays, but also at the executive
level with its preponderance of pressure-related and health
disorders. At the executive end of the productivity scale, such
losses and their incumbent costs to Industry are harder to measure
than at the labour end, for which statistics are readily available.
The time involved In bearing costs Is also a factor. Strategies such
as collective bargaining and government legislation may in .nost cases
be used to settle the labour problems relatively quickly, but Industry
can least afford the type of losses which entail long term effects and
which can be sustained throughout the working environment: in the
present context, those characterised as the stress-related losses.
Costs of stress for industry are depicted via such factors as
constantly rising medical expenses, increasing accident rates,
increased absenteeism and reduced productivity, as well as a general
deterioration In the quality of working life for the majority of
people. A further concern Is tha physical and psychological effects
of stress for the individual. Indications are that such costs to
Individuals, organisations, and society as a whole, are probably still
increasing (Paine, 1982). Though there is no accurate measure of the
percentage cost which directly results from stress•Induced or
stress - aggravated illnesses in the U.S.A., between $20 billion and §26
billion annually Is accountable for through absenteeism,
hospitalisation and the death of managers. The bottom line figure is
estimated In excess of $100 billion per annum (Matteson and
Ivancevlch, 1982). From the Industrial viewpoint, then, work-related
stress Is currently acknowledged as an extremely serious Issue.
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From a different perspective, psychologists In recent yearj have
ascribed Increasing Importance to the relationship between Job stress,
and psychological and physical health. This burgeoning Interest is
apparent from the number of academic booKS appearing In the area of
stress, stress management programmes, literature aimed at the business
sphere, and a pleth ,ra of books emanating from th»a popular press which
are directed at both businessman/manager and layman. While many of
the latter publications deal with the alleviation of stress In our
everyday and working lives, many popularise theories as to the causes
of stress, and so carry psychological overtones. An Increasing number
of publications are now also addressing the problem of burnout,
because this represents a serious deterioration In psychological and
physical health which can be directly attributable to Job stress.
Two relatively recent publications which proved particularly popular
dealt with the effects of rapid technological change In western
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