Research Note: Burnout and Locus of Control

1 March 1986

journal article
research article
Published by SAGE Publications in Public Personnel Management

Vol. 15 (1) , 79-83
https://doi.org/10.1177/009102608601500108

Abstract

This study examines self-reported burnout in personnel professions from a “locus of control” perspective. Personnelists who reported they were experiencing burnout were compared with those who said they were not. Responses to the question “What recommendations do you have for preventing burnout?” suggest that “burnouts” have an external locus of control; they are more likely to state that organizations have a responsibility for preventing employee burnout. In contrast, “non burnouts” appear to have an internal locus of control; their recommendations suggest that individuals have a responsibility for taking their own prevention measures. Acknowledging the crucial role played by organizations in burnout prevention, the article warns personnelists that ultimately they need to learn to care for themselves.

Keywords

This publication has 3 references indexed in Scilit:

Optimizing human resources: A case for preventive health and stress management
Organizational Dynamics, 1980
The staff burn-out syndrome in alternative institutions.
Psychotherapy, 1975
Generalized expectancies for internal versus external control of reinforcement.
Psychological Monographs: General and Applied, 1966