Assessment of Burnout in the General Population of France: Comparing the Maslach Burnout Inventory and the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory

Abstract

Burnout is an occupational phenomenon that arises from the unsuccessful management of chronic job stress. Accurate measures of burnout are vital for the implementation of effective interventions. However, existing tools, such as the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI), have demonstrated variability in their assessments. This study aims to compare the MBI and CBI to determine which tool provides a more reliable and comprehensive measure of burnout in the general population of France. The secondary objective was to identify key predictors of work exhaustion in the general population. Residents of mainland France participated in an online anonymous survey that collected data on their demographic and job-related characteristics, including job satisfaction and work exhaustion. The data collected were analyzed using Pearson correlation and regression analyses. Emotional exhaustion (in the MBI) was strongly associated with work exhaustion and personal, work-related and client-related burnout dimensions of the CBI. Correlations of participants' perceptions of work exhaustion with the CBI, MBI, and their dimensions showed a stronger correlation with CBI (r = 0.408 vs. 0.296; p < 0.001). Regression analysis revealed that emotional exhaustion (MBI) and personal burnout (CBI) were significant predictors of work exhaustion, while depersonalization (MBI) was negatively associated, highlighting the distinct contributions of MBI and CBI in assessing burnout. This study provides valuable insights into the complex relationships among the MBI, CBI, and work exhaustion and highlights the need for a comprehensive approach to better understand and address the phenomenon of burnout.