Validation of the Maslach Burnout Inventory - General Survey: An Internet Study

Abstract

This study examined the factorial validity of the Maslach Burnout Inventory - General Survey (MBI-GS; Schaufeli et al., Maslach Burnout Inventory Manual, pp. 19-26. Consulting Psychologists Press, CA) in eight different occupational groups of employees (N=2919), who were recruited through the Internet. Results of multi-group confirmatory factor analyses favored the proposed Three-Factor Model over alternative Two- and One-Factor Models. Exhaustion, cynicism, and professional efficacy were identified as separate burnout dimensions for the sample as a whole, as well as for each occupational group separately. This means that the factor structure of the MBI-GS is similar across a wide variety of occupations (including human services and technical professions), although there are differences between occupations regarding factor loadings, path coefficients, and error variances. In addition, MANOVAs produced significant gender × age, and gender × working experience interaction effects on burnout. Across occupations, females reported higher levels of burnout than males, particularly when they were relatively young or had relatively little working experience.

Keywords

Affiliated Institutions

• Health Care Management Group US
• Utrecht University NL
• Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg DE
• Radboud University Nijmegen NL

Related Publications