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Published in: International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health 6/2011

01-08-2011 | Original Article

Bergen Burnout Inventory: reliability and validity among Finnish and Estonian managers

Authors: Katariina Salmela-Aro, Johanna Rantanen, Katriina Hyvönen, Kati Tilleman, Taru Feldt

Published in: International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health | Issue 6/2011

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Abstract

Objectives

This study introduces a short measure for burnout (the Bergen Burnout Inventory, BBI) and examines its validity and reliability among managers in Finland and Estonia by means of confirmatory factor analysis. Burnout comprises three dimensions: (1) exhaustion at work (emotional component), (2) cynicism toward the meaning of work (cognitive component), and (3) the sense of inadequacy at work (behavioral component).

Methods

A total of 742 young Finnish managers and 414 Estonian managers responded to burnout (BBI) and effort–reward imbalance (ERI) scales.

Results

The results showed that the three-factor solution for burnout, compared to the one- or two-factor solutions, fitted the data best and gave the best reliability indices. The three theoretically derived dimensions of burnout were closely related but separate constructs. The BBI also had high item scale reliabilities among the managers in both countries. Finally, the effort–reward imbalance (ERI) model and the three dimensions of burnout had similar associations among Finnish and Estonian managers providing evidence for the concurrent validity of the BBI. That is, high effort was related to high exhaustion and high cynicism. High reward was related to low exhaustion, but especially to low cynicism and low inadequacy. High overcommitment was related particularly to high exhaustion, but also to high cynicism and high inadequacy.

Conclusions

The BBI can be used for the measurement of burnout in both research and occupational health contexts.
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Metadata
Title
Bergen Burnout Inventory: reliability and validity among Finnish and Estonian managers
Authors
Katariina Salmela-Aro
Johanna Rantanen
Katriina Hyvönen
Kati Tilleman
Taru Feldt
Publication date
01-08-2011
Publisher
Springer-Verlag
Published in
International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health / Issue 6/2011
Print ISSN: 0340-0131
Electronic ISSN: 1432-1246
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-010-0594-3

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