Relationships between personality variables and burnout: A meta-analysis

TLDR

Burnout research has largely focused on environmental factors, yet personality traits are likely important, though prior meta‑analyses were limited in scope. The present meta‑analysis examined the relationship between personality and the three dimensions of the Maslach Burnout Inventory—emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment. The meta‑analysis found that a broad range of personality traits—including self‑esteem, self‑efficacy, locus of control, emotional stability, extraversion, conscientiousness, agreeableness, positive and negative affectivity, optimism, proactive personality, and hardiness—were significantly related to burnout dimensions, with Type A personality only linked to personal accomplishment, and core self‑evaluations, the Five‑Factor Model, and affectivity explaining substantial variance; moderator analyses revealed that the strength of these relationships varied by MBI version, underscoring that employee personality consistently predicts burnout and should be incorporated as a predictor in future studies.

Abstract

Abstract Most burnout research has focussed on environmental correlates, but it is likely that personality factors also play an important part in the development of burnout. Previous meta-analyses, however, have been limited in scope. The present meta-analysis examined the relationship between personality and three dimensions of the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI): emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment. Consistent with our hypotheses, self-esteem, self-efficacy, locus of control, emotional stability, extraversion, conscientiousness, agreeableness, positive affectivity, negative affectivity, optimism, proactive personality, and hardiness, each yielded significant relationships with burnout. Type A Personality, however, was only related to personal accomplishment. Furthermore, regression analysis found that core self-evaluations, the Five-Factor Model personality characteristics, and positive and negative affectivity explained significant variance in each of the burnout dimensions. Finally, moderator analyses found several instances in which the strength of personality–burnout relationships depended upon whether burnout was assessed with the Human Services Survey of the MBI or the General Survey version of the MBI. It is concluded that employee personality is consistently related to burnout. Given the practical importance of employee burnout, it is recommended that personality variables be included as predictors in future research on burnout.