Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
Introduction: Nowadays nurses execute their tasks in demanding and stressful
contexts, where the stress accumulates and can trigger burnout. This one seems
to be the result from the combination of organizational factors with individual
vulnerability, in particular predisposition for anxiety and personality traits such as
neuroticism.
Objectives: This study aims, by comparing nurses from Portugal/Spain, to identify
burnout levels and to analyse if personality and anxiety predict burnout.
Methodology: This is a quantitative, exploratory, descriptive and transversal study,
using a demographic/professional characterization questionnaire, the Eysenck
Personality Questionnaire, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and Maslach Burnout
Inventory. After institutional authorizations, participated anonymously and volunteer,
337 Portuguese nurses and 309 Spanish nurses.
Results: We found 55% of nurses without burnout, 35% with moderate burnout
and 11% with high burnout, without differences between countries. However, the
Portuguese nurses present significantly more exhaustion and less depersonalization,
less anxiety trait, and more extroversion and Social Desirability, all with a
moderate level. In Portugal, the age and professional experience correlate negatively
with burnout, and anxiety predicts 32% of burnout. In Spain, anxiety explains
36% of burnout and personality traits only 2%.
Discussion: These findings are consistent with studies in which anxiety is a vulnerability
factor for burnout, but contradicted the influence of other personality traits,
reinforcing the influence of organizational factors.
Conclusion: The results are useful, in the field of occupational health, to develop
organizational strategies that enhance individual characteristics of stress management,
which, lately, have been applied using Mindfulness among nurses and
nursing students.
Description
Keywords
Burnout Anxiety Personality
Citation
Queirós, C., Borges, E., Mosteiro, P., Abreu, M., Baldonedo, M. Personalidade, ansiedade e vulnerabilidade ao burnout em enfermeiros: um estudo comparativo Portugal/Espanha. Suplemento digital Rev ROL Enferm 2020; 43(1): 83-89