Combining Job Stress Models in Predicting Burnout by Hierarchical Multiple Regressions: A Cross-sectional Investigation in Shanghai

OBJECTIVE: To compare the predictive validity of the demand control and effort-reward imbalance model, alone and in combination with each other, for job burnout in Shanghai employees. METHODS: A sample of 1368 Shanghai employees responded to a core job stress questionnaire and burnout scale in Chinese. Hierarchically moderated multiple regressions were used to analyze the relationship between job stress and burnout. RESULTS: All factors from both job stress models predicted 33.5% of the variance in emotional exhaustion, and 20.9% in depersonalization and 5.5% in personal accomplishment. Factors from the effort-reward model demonstrated more power in predicting emotional exhaustion and depersonalization than that of demand control model. Personal accomplishment was significantly associated with sociodemographic factors. OUTCOME: The combination of two models may improve our understanding of the relationship between the psychosocial work environment and job burnout.