Stability and change in burnout profiles over time: A prospective study in the working population

This is a prospective study on the development of burnout in the general Swedish working population from a person-oriented perspective. A large random sample of the general working population (N=1118) was cluster analyzed, using scores on the subscales of the Maslach Burnout Inventory at baseline and at 1-year follow-up. The individual and structural stability of the configurations over time, as well as accompanying changes on work-related and mental health variables were investigated. The results show the occurrence of several different configurations of burnout variables. Scoring patterns with high exhaustion and cynicism reflected burnout; those with a high level of professional efficacy reflected engagement; there were also scoring patterns characterized by only one of the dimensions in the relative absence of others. These patterns show structural, as well as individual stability over time. The risk factors for development of burnout or engagement from clusters with only one burnout characteristic varied according to the cluster. These results give new insights, indicating that the road to burnout may be different for subgroups of different burnout profiles, and that these subgroups may potentially have different risk factors associated with the development of burnout. This is of importance for the development of early interventions.