What is Burnout Syndrome or Burned Being Syndrome?

  • 2019
Table of contents hide 1 What is Burnout Syndrome or Burned Living Syndrome? 2 Theoretical definition of Burnout Syndrome or Burnout Syndrome 3 Factors involved in the origin of Burnout Syndrome or Burnout Syndrome 4 So, what is Burnout Syndrome or Burnout Syndrome? 5 Scientifically validated instruments to detect Burnout Syndrome or Burned Living Syndrome 6 Consequences of Burnout Syndrome or Burned Living Syndrome

What is Burnout Syndrome or Burned Being Syndrome?

The Burnout is a topic of growing concern today at the global level, since it affects all socially active people, that is, those who work in terms of dependence, mostly. The most affected populations are health professionals or technicians and teachers or teachers at the primary, secondary, tertiary, university and postgraduate levels.

In Argentina, for example, both the living conditions and the real health and / or material resources available and the loss of the social value of health professionals and teachers are factors that violate and therefore exponentially increase the risk that these populations, in particular, develop stress more frequently and easily in any of its forms (Marucco, Gil-Monte & Flamenco; 2007)

The purpose of this article is to be able to tell you about burnout syndrome and try to describe, in the simplest and simplest way, several of its consequences for what as a health worker and / or teacher and / or any type of No matter how hard you are, you can discern if you are suffering from the syndrome of being burned, called vulgarly, or a relative or close loved one. So that in this way you can detect it in time and take the necessary measures. And in the case that you are already burned, to put it in some more informal way, you can take actions aimed at counteracting said syndrome or you can seek medical help to help you get out of the infinite and endless process in which you find yourself.

Theoretical definition of Burnout Syndrome or Burned Living Syndrome

The term Burnout comes from the English language and is translated into Spanish as "being burned . " This concept was first described by Fredeunberger in 1970, however it was Maslach and Jackson (1981) who marked or propelled the scientific study globally and therefore marked a milestone in the study on this subject. Maslach and Jackson (1981) define this picture as “ a syndrome of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and low personal accomplishment at work that can be developed in those individuals whose work object is people in any type of activity” (Maslach, Schaufeli and Leite ; 2001)

On the other hand, Aronson and Kafry (1981) defined it as “the result of continuous and repeated emotional pressures associated with an intense commitment to those of others, for a prolonged period of time

By other authors, it is defined as a type of work and institutional stress that originates specifically in health professionals, technicians, staff and teachers whose work is directly related to contact and attention a physical persons . Those workers in the area of health and education are more likely to develop this syndrome . In this way, these authors place the origin of it in the volitional sphere, in other words in the sphere of interpretation. This means that the origin of the syndrome is directly associated with the way in which these professionals, teachers, staff, technicians, etc. interpret (mentally) and respond (action or inaction) to different crisis situations . (Atance Martínez; 1997).

Factors involved in the origin of Burnout Syndrome or Burned Living Syndrome

The factors that intervene to give rise to this Burnout syndrome or Burned Living Syndrome, in multiple health professionals, technicians, staff and teachers, are primarily environmental, cultural and professional. In this way, health professionals, technicians, staff, teachers, generally public sector workers, are the workers who are most likely to present the Burnout Syndrome or Burned Living Syndrome, being the environment one of the factors that predispose and favor the development of said syndrome. It should be noted that within each health profession, the most studied so far, obviously there have been differences between the prevalence of burnout between one profession and the other (within the same health field) and within a profession as well since socio-economic, cultural and political contexts vary significantly. That is why a large number of researchers advocate studying the subjective culture of the syndrome in different populations, since they consider that cultural, social, economic and political variables are closely linked to its development . So it is that with respect to the individual factors, which have been investigated, to personality traits and optimism, affectivity and self-esteem as factors that predispose the development of Burnout Syndrome or Burned Living Syndrome. There are authors who faithfully believe that the person responsible for this syndrome is the Western welfare society which, through competition and materialism, predisposes all its inhabitants to develop such discomfort and wear at all levels and to anyone who is immersed in their system . Other authors and researchers, on the other hand, consider that it goes beyond Western society as it is a transcultural and transnational problem (Grau, Flichtentrei, Suñer, Prats, M., & Braga; 2009).

So what is Burnout Syndrome or Burned Being Syndrome?

It is considered by the majority of specialized and knowledgeable authors of the subject, as a type of response that the organism makes from the precise moment when the different coping strategies fail in the presence of chronic stress in the workplace. (Marucco, Gil-Monte & Flamenco; 2007). In other words, then, those tools (perhaps functional at first) that the subject's psyche used to use in certain stressful or stressful circumstances that, over time, became regular and constant, began to be insufficient (not psychically functional) to deal with a situation that by then is already aversive for that individual (aversive conditioning). Becoming the place of work and in this way, the exhibition of professionals, technicians, teachers, etc. to this particular work environment, disabling and reinforcing daily behaviors aimed at the lack of action and reduction of efficient technical and specific skills.

It should be clarified that, in its beginnings, Burnout Syndrome or Burned Living Syndrome was understood as a state, a concept that has changed today since more recent research has discovered that it is actually a process rather than a process. state. Process that, as such, depends on the interaction of several factors that are external and internal to the professional, teacher or subject in question (Grau, Flichtentrei, Suñer, Font-Mayolas, Prats, & Braga; 2007)

Scientifically validated instruments that detect Burnout Syndrome or Burned Living Syndrome

In this way, depending on how the term studied was understood, the methodological instruments that would be used for such investigations would vary . So it is that those researchers who considered this syndrome as a state, mostly used the most "popular" or "best seller" evaluation instrument of that time, the Burnout Inventory (MBI) of Maslach and Jakson (1986). This instrument is made up of three scales which have the ability to measure the frequency with which workers perceive both emotional exhaustion and depersonalization as well as low personal achievement, characteristic of the syndrome. (Grau, Flichtentrei, Suñer, Font-Mayolas, Prats, & Braga; 2007).

The operational contribution of Maslach and Jackson (1981) defining “ burnout ”through their“ Maslach Burnout Inventory ”(MBI) questionnaire as a syndrome characterized by emotional fatigue, depersonalization and lack of personal and professional fulfillment, insisted on same elements and provided an instrument that allowed assessing the levels of the problem. ”Moreno-Jiménez, B., González, JL, & Garrosa, E. (2001).

Consequences of Burnout Syndrome or Burned Living Syndrome

Paraphrasing Atance Martinez (1997) who takes the theoretical lines of Orlowski and explains that, the consequences of this syndrome have to do with emotional and behavioral, social and psychosomatic alterations, changes in family life and loss of work efficiency .

Maslach and Jackson characterized the syndrome, understanding the latter as an inappropriate response that is generated from stress, by the marked presence of exhaustion or emotional fatigue (CE) which is defined as the progressive loss of energy, feeling of wear, exhaustion physical and psychological fatigue, depersonalization (PD) understood as a change in attitudes, which become sharply more negative, both as well as the responses issued to others, the latter being somewhat irritable and even cynical, loss of motivation concerning work, and lack of personal fulfillment (FRP) which is defined as a decrease in personal competence in the work area, that is to say, responses of a negative nature both towards work and towards itself. (Atance Martínez; 1997).

To paraphrase Martínez Pérez (2010) we can say that the vast majority of the consequences of Burnout belong to the emotional area, and it could be because in the vast majority of the studies carried out, they have used the Maslach and Jackson questionnaire, which the 22 items, presents 12 that aim to gather information about the emotional factor, such as loss of self-esteem, depression, feelings of failure, irritability, aggressiveness, disgust. On the other hand, the consequences or effects at the cognitive level have been less studied, but they are of great importance, since for example in the primordial phase of the syndrome there is some inconsistency between labor expectations and the real, which leads to the individual feels frustrated and then develops a certain "depression", so to speak, cognitive. Let's not forget that this is one of the fundamental characteristics of the syndrome. In the same way it happens with the conductal area (behaviors, behavior), which has been very little analyzed and whose most relevant consequence is depersonalization . In this order, the subject may suffer two consequences at a purely behavioral level, which may be the loss of reactive action (respond quickly or in reasonable time to any stimulus), and all those actions that lead to excessive consumption of stimulants, toxic substances, and everything generally harmful to health, as a form of "solution", perhaps, to your work problem. " The person comes to manifest physiological disorders with symptoms such as headaches muscle aches (especially dorsal), toothaches, nausea, aural beeps, hypertension, ulcers, loss of voice, loss of appetite, sexual dysfunctions and sleep problems . " (Martínez Pérez; 2010)

After making an exhaustive reading of different bibliographies on the subject explained in order to give them the most up-to-date information on the subject, I have been able to observe that Burnout Syndrome or Burned Living Syndrome is a process that begins silently and slowly begins to expand and then manifest imperceptibly in the cognitive, physical and emotional sphere of the person of the doctor, professional and / or technical, teacher, etc. Several authors have shown that in Argentina, for example, the highest levels of Burnout syndrome have been found, although paradoxically, being a developing country, the perception of well-being together with the expectations and demands of both professionals and users, it is lower than in those developed countries. Spain is also a country in which the highest levels of burnout have been found in health professionals, mostly.

It is necessary to mention that the risk factors that expose workers to develop this Burnout Syndrome or Burned Living Syndrome, are sex, the feminine being the most vulnerable, the absence of children, the involvement of the professional and labor since the more involved this greater will be their professional and labor attrition and the greater the resources that will be put into play as coping strategies . The lack of a strong and consistent social network that helps to more effectively overcome the daily vericuetos presented by your work environment, rotating or excessive schedules (making guards), for example.

It is important then that the work environment where you work is a place that functions as a constant stimulus that reinforces all those behaviors aimed at continuous improvement, constant effort, personal performance and emotional well-being and cognitive

If you have felt identified or identified with any of the aforementioned symptoms or situations, I suggest that you speak with a doctor or health professional to advise you and evaluate if you are suffering from S Burnout syndrome or Burned Living Syndrome, so you can feel alive or alive again, happy, relaxed, more connected to your environment and family, and tiredness will most likely begin to decrease.

Editor: Gisela S., editor of the great family of the White Brotherhood.

Source or Bibliography consulted:

Atance Martínez, JC (1997). Epidemiological aspects of burnout syndrome in health personnel. Spanish magazine of public health, 71, 293-303.

Grau, A., Flichtentrei, D., Su er, R., Font-Mayolas, S., Prats, M., & Braga, F. (2007). The perceived burnout or sensation of being burned in healthcare professionals: prevalence and associated factors. Psychological information, (91-92), 64-79.

Grau, A., Flichtentrei, D., Su er, R., Prats, M., & Braga, F. (2009). Influence of personal, professional and transnational factors in the Burnout syndrome in Spanish-American and Spanish health personnel (2007). Spanish Journal of Public Health, 83, 215-230.

Martínez Perez, Anabella, THE BURNOUT SYNDROME. CONCEPTUAL EVOLUTION AND CURRENT STATUS OF THE QUESTION. Vivat Academia [online] 2010, (September-No month) Available in: ISSN

Maslach, C., Schaufeli, WB, and Leiter, M. (2001) Job burn-out. Annual Review of Psychology, 52, 397-422.

Marucco, MA, Gil-Monte, PR, & Flamenco, E. (2007). Burnout syndrome in general hospital pediatricians, comparative study of the prevalence measured with MBI-HSS and CESQT. Psychological information, (91-92), 32-42.

Moreno-Jiménez, B., González, JL, & Garrosa, E. (2001). Professional wear (burnout), personality and perceived health. Employment, stress and health, 20, 59-83.

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