Predicting Burnout Syndrome in Greek Mental Health Professionals

The aim of the study was to explore predictors of burnout in clinicians working across different mental health settings in Greece. The Maslach & Jackson Inventory (Maslach Burnout Inventory, MBI; Maslach & Jackson, Journal of Organizational Behavior, 1981, 2(2), 99–113) was used to evaluate burnout syndrome and assess the relationship between demographic factors (age, children, education, and job experience) and each sub-factor (emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalization (DP), and personal accomplishment (PA)) of the MBI. Results revealed that out of three burnout factors, EE and PA demonstrated one significant predictor each whereas DP showed no significant predictors. In addition, job experience (years in the job) was found to be a significant predictor of EE in clinical staff. Further analysis showed no significant differences across job type for EE, DP, and PA. The findings are discussed with a focus on prevention and coping strategies for clinicians working in mental health settings.