Intra-Syndrome Dynamics of Burnout: Cross-Lagged Relations Among Core Components

Abstract

Given the increasing number of employees reporting burnout complaints and the negative outcomes associated with these complaints, both researchers and practitioners are interested in understanding how burnout develops over time. Despite previous efforts to elucidate burnout's internal dynamics, our knowledge remains limited. By leveraging several theoretical models and previous empirical studies, we proposed six competing hypotheses to examine how the intra-syndrome dynamics of burnout may evolve over time. Using cross-lagged panel models and data from 1,035 Belgian employees collected at three different time points, we evaluated these potential pathways. Our results provide initial support for a dynamic in which intra-syndrome burnout begins with exhaustion, impairing emotional functions and more consistently affecting cognitive functions. However, only cognitive impairment then adds to more mental distancing. Contrary to previous theoretical assumptions, we found limited evidence that mental distancing contributes to maintaining a cycle of exhaustion and impairment. We discuss the theoretical contributions of our findings and their practical implications for early detection of struggling employees and tailored intervention strategies.