Investigating discriminant validity and explained variance of burnout, depressive symptoms, job demands and satisfaction with life

Abstract

Burnout is accepted as a work-related phenomenon that impacts negatively on individuals and organisations. However, the conceptualisation of burnout is contested. Recent research challenge the distinction drawn between burnout and depression, due to the large overlap between these two constructs. Furthermore, research calls into question whether burnout can rightly be attributed exclusively to work-related factors, or whether factors outside the domain of work also contribute to burnout, indicating a multi-domain phenomenon. The general objective of this study was to determine whether burnout can be discriminated from depressive symptoms, as well as to establish which factors explain the most variance in burnout, i.e. work-specific factors (job demands, more specifically emotional load and workload) or generic factors (depressive symptoms and satisfaction with life). A quantitative, cross-sectional research design was implemented. Data was collected by means of convenience sampling amongst educators employed in the Gauteng Province of South Africa (N = 399). Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted within a structural equation modelling framework. Discriminant validity between burnout and depressive symptoms was determined by investigating correlation scores, average variance extracted, as well as shared variance between the constructs. Finally, the unique contribution to the variance explained in burnout by work-specific factors and generic factors respectively was determined through relative weight analysis. The results revealed that, statistically, burnout could be distinguished from depressive symptoms. All variables significantly explained variance in burnout; depressive symptoms and emotional load explained equal amounts of variance in burnout and were the largest individual contributors to the explained variance in burnout – indicating a multi-domain phenomenon. Aggregated, work-specific factors explained the most variance in burnout. Recommendations were made to be applied in practice, as well as for future research. Uitbranding word aanvaar as ’n werkverwante verskynsel wat negatief op individue en organisasies inwerk. Die konseptualisering van uitbranding word egter bevraagteken. Onlangse navorsing betwis die onderskeid wat getref word tussen uitbranding en depressie, weens die groot oorvleueling tussen hierdie twee konstrukte. Verder bevraagteken navorsing ook of uitbranding tereg uitsluitlik aan werkverwante faktore toegeskryf kan word, en of faktore buite die werksdomein ook tot uitbranding bydra, wat dan dui op ʼn meervoudigedomein-verskynsel. Die oorkoepelende doel van hierdie studie was om te bepaal of uitbranding van depressiesimptome onderskei kan word, asook om vas te stel watter faktore die meeste variansie in uitbranding verklaar, dit wil sê werkspesifieke faktore (werkseise, meer spesifiek emosionele lading en werkslading) of generiese faktore (depressiesimptome en lewensbevrediging). ʼn Kwantitatiewe, dwarssnitnavorsingsontwerpis geïmplementeer. Data is aan die hand van gerieflikheid-steekproefneming onder onderwysers werksaam in die Gauteng-Provinsie van Suid-Afrika verkry (N = 399). Bevestigende faktoranalise is binne ʼn strukturele vergelykingsmodelleringsraamwerk uitgevoer. Diskriminante geldigheid tussen uitbranding en depressiesimptome is bepaal deur korrelasietellings, gemiddelde variansie onttrek asook gedeelde variansie tussen die konstrukte te ondersoek. Ten laaste is die unieke bydrae tot die variansie wat in uitbranding verklaar word deur werkspesifieke faktore en generiese faktore bepaal deur relatiewe gewig analise te implementeer. Die resultate het aan die lig gebring dat, statisties gesproke, uitbranding van depressiesimptome onderskei kan word. Alle veranderlikes het variansie in uitbranding betekenisvol verklaar; depressiesimptome en emosionele lading het gelyke hoeveelhede variansie in uitbranding verklaar en was die grootste individuele bydraers tot die verklaarde variansie in uitbranding – wat dan dui op ʼn meervoudigedomein-verskynsel. Saamgevoeg het werkspesifieke faktore die meeste variansie in uitbranding verklaar. Aanbevelings is gemaak vir toepassing in die praktyk, asook vir verdere navorsing.