Five decades of debate on burnout

Abstract

First described in the mid‐1970s, "burnout" has elicited continued interest among occupational health specialists. 1 , 2 The World Health Organization 3 defines burnout as a triadic syndrome that comprises: (i) feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion; (ii) increased mental distance from one's job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism towards one's job; and (iii) a sense of ineffectiveness and lack of accomplishment. This definition closely aligns with the conceptualisation of burnout in the Maslach Burnout Inventory, the most prominent measure of the entity. 2 , 4 Although burnout has become a popular indicator of job‐related distress, persistent controversies surround the construct. As burnout reaches its half‐century of existence, this article offers an overview of key research developments that have prompted investigators to revamp their views of the syndrome.