Psicothema was founded in Asturias (northern Spain) in 1989, and is published jointly by the Psychology Faculty of the University of Oviedo and the Psychological Association of the Principality of Asturias (Colegio Oficial de Psicología del Principado de Asturias).
We currently publish four issues per year, which accounts for some 100 articles annually. We admit work from both the basic and applied research fields, and from all areas of Psychology, all manuscripts being anonymously reviewed prior to publication.
Helena López Herrera1, Ignacio Pedrosa2, Mª Purificación Vicente Galindo3, Javier Suárez-Álvarez2, M. Purificación Galindo Villardón3 and Eduardo García-Cueto2
Background: Burnout syndrome is a highly prevalent disorder in a wide range of professional groups, and is associated with substantial psychophysiological alterations. Nevertheless, this syndrome has not been analyzed in depth among the clergy, a group which fulfils a fundamental social function and has to deal with numerous stressors that increase the risk of burnout onset. Method: In the present study, the authors assessed 881 Catholic priests from Latin America. The Maslach Burnout Inventory-22, the General Health Questionnaire-28 and the CAGE were applied; we also recorded the priests’ rates of cigarette-smoking. Specific cut-off points were set for burnout syndrome in priests. Results: The original factor structures of the questionnaires are confirmed in the clerical sample, and the reliability is adequate. As regards the dimensions of the syndrome as a function of the countries studied, no statistically significant differences were found, except for the exhaustion dimension. Conclusions: The authors established the typology that defines the relevance and effect of each dimension, as well as its prevalence in this group, with a figure of 25.39%. Furthermore, burnout shows a clear relationship with general health and may be associated with addiction to substances such as alcohol or tobacco.
Análisis multivariante del síndrome de burnout en sacerdotes latinoamericanos. Antecedentes: el síndrome de burnout es un trastorno con una prevalencia notable en diferentes colectivos profesionales, relacionándose, además, con importantes alteraciones psicofisiológicas. Sin embargo, este no ha sido analizado en profundidad en el colectivo religioso, el cual cumple una función social fundamental, soportando numerosos estresores que incrementan el riesgo de padecer este síndrome. Método: en el presente estudio se evaluó a 881 sacerdotes católicos latinoamericanos. Se aplicaron los cuestionarios Maslach Burnout Inventory-22, General Health Questionnaire-28 y CAGE y se registró la cantidad de tabaco consumido. Asimismo, se establecieron puntos de corte específicos para el síndrome de burnout en sacerdotes. Resultados: las estructuras factoriales originales de los cuestionarios se confirman en la muestra eclesiástica, los cuales muestran una fiabilidad adecuada. En cuanto a las dimensiones del síndrome en función de los países estudiados, se comprobó la inexistencia de diferencias estadísticamente significativas, exceptuando la dimensión agotamiento. Conclusiones: se ha establecido la tipología que define la relevancia y efecto de cada dimensión, así como su prevalencia en este colectivo, cifrada en un 25,39%. Por otro lado, el burnout muestra una clara relación con la salud general, pudiendo degenerar, incluso, en conductas adictivas a sustancias como el alcohol o el tabaco.
SPANISH
ENGLISH
https://doi.org/10.7334/psicothema2013.178