A Multilevel Analysis of Changes in Psychological Demands over Time on Employee Burnout

Annick Parent-Lamarche (), Alain Marchand and Sabine Saade
Additional contact information
Annick Parent-Lamarche: Department of Human Resources Management, Business School, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, QC G8Z 4M3, Canada
Alain Marchand: School of Industrial Relations, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC H3T 1J4, Canada
Sabine Saade: Department of Psychology, American University of Beirut, P.O. Box 11-0236, Riad El-Solh, Beirut 1107 2020, Lebanon

Merits, 2024, vol. 4, issue 1, 1-16

Abstract: In pursuing this study, we were interested in the effect of changes in psychological demands over time on burnout. We were also interested in examining the moderating role resources could play between changes in job demands over time and employee burnout. Multilevel regression analyses of repeated measures were conducted to capture the hierarchical structure of the data (time (Level 1, n = 537 (12-month period between T1 and T2)); employees (Level 2, n = 289)) nested in firms (Level 3, n = 34). To measure change in psychological demands, the distribution of psychological demands at T1 and T2 were dichotomized at the T1 median. Following this dichotomization, four groups were created: low T1 and low T2; high T1 and low T2; low T1 and high T2, high T1 and high T2. In terms of direct associations, an increase in psychological demands over time was associated with emotional exhaustion and cynicism but not professional efficacy. Locus of control, self-esteem, and social support from supervisors were also directly associated with burnout. As for interaction effects, social support from coworkers attenuated the effect of changes in psychological demands over time (i.e., increasing psychological demands) on cynicism. In other words, employees facing greater psychological demands over time (increasing psychological demands) and benefitting from social support from their coworkers had less cynicism. Our findings offer meaningful insights into possible ways of lowering burnout levels. Based on the results obtained, psychological demands, social support, locus of control, and self-esteem should be considered valuable intervention targets.

Keywords: burnout; changes in psychological demands; personal resources; social resources; social support from coworkers; longitudinal study (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: J L M (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2673-8104/4/1/2/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2673-8104/4/1/2/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jmerit:v:4:y:2024:i:1:p:2-34:d:1332715

Access Statistics for this article

Merits is currently edited by Ms. Aria Hou

More articles in Merits from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().